Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 362 · 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
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.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
15. 15.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) an electric pylon
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
20. 20.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
26. 26.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (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 of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a bicycle frame

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