Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 401 · 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) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 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?
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 of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
22. 22.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
24. 24.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
32. 32.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 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

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