Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 486 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
12. 12.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) paint it
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) a crane arm
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
22. 22.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
26. 26.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
31. 31.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
34. 34.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss

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