Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 415 · 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) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
5. 5.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
6. 6.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
11. 11.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
13. 13.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
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 of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
20. 20.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 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: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain

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