Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 375 · 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 roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a roof truss
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
11. 11.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
22. 22.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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