Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 521 · 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 of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
7. 7.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
12. 12.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
15. 15.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
18. 18.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
27. 27.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
40. 40.🔺 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

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