Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 452 · 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.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
14. 14.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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
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) wobbly (b) rigid
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
33. 33.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False

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