Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

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