Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 363 · 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 an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
2. 2.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
9. 9.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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?

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