Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 374 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 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
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.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
26. 26.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) paint it
30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
31. 31.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids