Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 487 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
19. 19.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
20. 20.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
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 fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
40. 40.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected

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