← Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams lesson New set →

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 300 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a slab over a canal
  10. 10.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  15. 15.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  27. 27.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
  30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  36. 36.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch

Answer key

  1. 7
  2. triangle
  3. add a diagonal brace
  4. it works in compression
  5. dome
  6. 31
  7. 19
  8. rigid
  9. an electric pylon
  10. True
  11. triangle
  12. arch
  13. 4
  14. dome
  15. True
  16. 3
  17. 1
  18. rigid
  19. 2
  20. False
  21. a fort gateway
  22. beam
  23. 5
  24. True
  25. wobbly
  26. a roof truss
  27. False
  28. a shelf on two brackets
  29. a round palace roof
  30. True
  31. False
  32. True
  33. a lintel over a door
  34. a planetarium roof
  35. a crane arm
  36. False
  37. 21
  38. wobbly
  39. triangle
  40. triangle

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids