Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 450 · 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 pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
2. 2.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
7. 7.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
15. 15.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 A flat frame has 9 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 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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