Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 333 · 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 beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
3. 3.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
8. 8.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
11. 11.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
38. 38.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

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