Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 520 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
7. 7.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
27. 27.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
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.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) an igloo
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle

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