Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 462 · 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 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?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
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.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a roof truss (d) a truss bridge side
30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
34. 34.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door

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