Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 418 · 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 an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a fort gateway
4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
12. 12.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
16. 16.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge

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