Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 376 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
6. 6.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
30. 30.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a bicycle frame
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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

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