Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 519 · 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 crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
5. 5.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
33. 33.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
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) wobbly (b) rigid
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) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome

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