Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 377 · 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 of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
3. 3.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
7. 7.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
22. 22.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
35. 35.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
40. 40.🔺 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?

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