Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 295 · 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 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?
2. 2.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm 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.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a planetarium roof
15. 15.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
39. 39.🔺 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?
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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