Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 275 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Triangles stay put): Triangles are rigid; trusses, towers and frames use them. A pin-jointed frame with n sides needs n − 3 corner-to-corner braces; a row of n triangles uses 2n + 1 straws. Arches squeeze (compression); beams span gaps; domes are arches turned round in a circle.

1. 1.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
3. 3.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
4. 4.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
6. 6.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
15. 15.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
17. 17.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
21. 21.🔺 A flat frame has 9 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
26. 26.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
30. 30.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 A flat frame has 5 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
32. 32.🔺 A frame shaped like a triangle is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle

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