Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 407 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
20. 20.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo

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