Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 454 · 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 truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
8. 8.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 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
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 triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
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 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
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
32. 32.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

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