Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 517 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
3. 3.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
7. 7.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
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.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
22. 22.🔺 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
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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
29. 29.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
40. 40.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace

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