Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 514 · 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 strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
2. 2.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
6. 6.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
8. 8.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
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.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
12. 12.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
16. 16.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
17. 17.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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