Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 477 · 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 lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 A flat frame has 10 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 planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
29. 29.🔺 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
30. 30.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.🔺 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?

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