Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 513 · 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.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
21. 21.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
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.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
28. 28.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
31. 31.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo

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