Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 319 · 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.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
4. 4.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
11. 11.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
15. 15.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a lintel over a door
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a truss bridge side
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a truss bridge side
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly

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