Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 444 · 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 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
4. 4.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
12. 12.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a shelf on two brackets
20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
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 hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
39. 39.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
40. 40.🔺 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?

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