Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 5 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
3. 3.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a shelf on two brackets
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
31. 31.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
40. 40.🔺 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

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