Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 440 · 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 square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
9. 9.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
15. 15.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
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.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
39. 39.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
40. 40.🔺 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?

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