Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 445 · 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 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
14. 14.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
19. 19.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
25. 25.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
31. 31.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.🔺 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

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