Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 393 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
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.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
12. 12.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
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) rigid (b) wobbly
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
21. 21.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
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.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch

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