Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 426 · 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: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
22. 22.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid

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