Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 468 · 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 bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
11. 11.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
17. 17.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
26. 26.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
31. 31.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway

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