Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids