Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 397 · 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 flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a lintel over a door
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
17. 17.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
33. 33.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a plank over a drain
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
40. 40.🔺 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?

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