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

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 304 · 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.🔺 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 strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  5. 5.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
  21. 21.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
  24. 24.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  25. 25.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  28. 28.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam

Answer key

  1. rigid
  2. beam
  3. triangle
  4. beam
  5. True
  6. triangle
  7. 2
  8. a roof truss
  9. 9
  10. a round palace roof
  11. False
  12. 29
  13. 5
  14. beam
  15. a plank over a drain
  16. 5
  17. True
  18. True
  19. dome
  20. an old stone bridge
  21. squeezed (compression)
  22. an igloo
  23. a curved stone doorway
  24. add a diagonal brace
  25. False
  26. it works in compression
  27. a crane arm
  28. True
  29. 1
  30. arch
  31. True
  32. triangle
  33. 9
  34. triangle
  35. 7
  36. wobbly
  37. 13
  38. dome
  39. False
  40. arch

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