Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 279 · 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 bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
9. 9.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
16. 16.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 A flat frame has 11 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.🔺 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
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
24. 24.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a fort gateway
37. 37.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway

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