Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 524 · 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 plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
28. 28.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
30. 30.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
32. 32.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
40. 40.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

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