Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 286 · 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 slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
5. 5.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
35. 35.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
39. 39.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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

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