Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 305 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
13. 13.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
17. 17.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
20. 20.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
23. 23.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
25. 25.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
27. 27.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
33. 33.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
38. 38.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly

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