Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 437 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
4. 4.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
7. 7.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
11. 11.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
39. 39.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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