Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 481 · 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 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
2. 2.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
10. 10.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
19. 19.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
24. 24.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
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 curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
33. 33.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
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.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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?

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