Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 433 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
4. 4.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
9. 9.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
17. 17.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
27. 27.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a lintel over a door
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
33. 33.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam

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