Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 424 · 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) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
4. 4.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
10. 10.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
11. 11.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
32. 32.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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