Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 391 · 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 an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
21. 21.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
24. 24.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
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) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
39. 39.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

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