Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 329 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 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 square 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.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a truss bridge side
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids