Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 436 · 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 strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
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 of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
31. 31.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace

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