Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

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