Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 404 · 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 plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
3. 3.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) an electric pylon
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
27. 27.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

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