Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 326 · 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 roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a truss bridge side
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
9. 9.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 A flat frame has 7 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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm

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