Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 361 · 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 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
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
4. 4.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
19. 19.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
28. 28.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
32. 32.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle

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