← Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams lesson New set →

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 489 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. a round palace roof
  2. True
  3. beam
  4. False
  5. arch
  6. 21
  7. wobbly
  8. a plank over a drain
  9. beam
  10. triangle
  11. True
  12. add a diagonal brace
  13. rigid
  14. rigid
  15. 5
  16. 31
  17. 11
  18. an electric pylon
  19. False
  20. arch
  21. wobbly
  22. True
  23. False
  24. a planetarium roof
  25. True
  26. it works in compression
  27. 25
  28. False
  29. False
  30. 3
  31. True
  32. triangle
  33. 13
  34. arch
  35. triangle
  36. False
  37. squeezed (compression)
  38. 2
  39. 9
  40. triangle

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids