← Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams lesson New set →

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 443 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. an electric pylon
  2. a curved stone doorway
  3. triangle
  4. dome
  5. triangle
  6. triangle
  7. triangle
  8. 4
  9. rigid
  10. False
  11. beam
  12. 31
  13. a truss bridge side
  14. squeezed (compression)
  15. 29
  16. 11
  17. 9
  18. 3
  19. an igloo
  20. triangle
  21. True
  22. beam
  23. 21
  24. a planetarium roof
  25. 8
  26. add a diagonal brace
  27. arch
  28. a roof truss
  29. triangle
  30. wobbly
  31. False
  32. True
  33. wobbly
  34. True
  35. arch
  36. 17
  37. it works in compression
  38. False
  39. True
  40. True

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids