Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 277 · 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
5. 5.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
15. 15.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
24. 24.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
28. 28.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
31. 31.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid

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