Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 289 · 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 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) wobbly (b) rigid
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
5. 5.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
7. 7.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
10. 10.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
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.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
25. 25.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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