Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 360 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
15. 15.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
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) rigid (b) wobbly
17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
21. 21.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
26. 26.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
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) rigid (b) wobbly
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
31. 31.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo

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