Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 473 · 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 crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway

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