Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 518 · 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 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a slab over a canal
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a crane arm
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) an igloo
26. 26.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
30. 30.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
39. 39.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
40. 40.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

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