Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 442 · 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.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
4. 4.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
7. 7.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
9. 9.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
12. 12.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
17. 17.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
40. 40.🔺 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?

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