Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 470 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
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 truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
19. 19.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 A flat frame has 5 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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