Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 382 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
6. 6.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
25. 25.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
28. 28.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

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