Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 494 · 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 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
6. 6.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
13. 13.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
32. 32.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
34. 34.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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?

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