Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 349 · 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 truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a shelf on two brackets
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
14. 14.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
25. 25.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
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 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
30. 30.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
33. 33.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
36. 36.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome

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