Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 327 · 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 an arch. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
7. 7.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
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 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) a truss bridge side
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
40. 40.🔺 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

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