Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 497 · 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.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
7. 7.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
12. 12.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 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?
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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
35. 35.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles 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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