Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 412 · 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 of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
4. 4.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
8. 8.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
17. 17.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
28. 28.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
39. 39.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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

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