Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 325 · 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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
3. 3.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a crane arm
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?

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