Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 479 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
4. 4.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
8. 8.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
20. 20.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
24. 24.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
38. 38.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly

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