Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 516 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
4. 4.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
6. 6.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
11. 11.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
15. 15.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a fort gateway
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge

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