Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 430 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
11. 11.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
16. 16.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
18. 18.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 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?
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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
33. 33.🔺 A flat frame has 11 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.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
39. 39.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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