Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 280 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a planetarium roof
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
10. 10.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (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) wobbly (b) rigid
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
30. 30.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
39. 39.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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?

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