Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 476 · 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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
11. 11.🔺 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?
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.🔺 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
14. 14.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 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?
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.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
39. 39.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side

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