Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 396 · 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 a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
3. 3.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a fort gateway
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
11. 11.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
15. 15.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
30. 30.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

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