Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 525 · 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 bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
8. 8.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
9. 9.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a lintel over a door
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
23. 23.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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