Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 421 · 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.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
30. 30.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
33. 33.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a planetarium roof
40. 40.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids