Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 324 · 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 curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
5. 5.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
10. 10.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
13. 13.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a shelf on two brackets
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
20. 20.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
22. 22.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
28. 28.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) paint it
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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