Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 341 · 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) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
6. 6.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
21. 21.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) paint it
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
25. 25.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.🔺 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?

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