Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 406 · 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) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
12. 12.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
14. 14.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
25. 25.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
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.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
33. 33.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
40. 40.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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