Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 359 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
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 truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
13. 13.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
27. 27.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway

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