Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 354 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 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 shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.True or false: a truss bridge side 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.🔺 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
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

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