Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 33 · 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 triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
5. 5.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
10. 10.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
26. 26.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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
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.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

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