Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 535 · 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 an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
12. 12.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
14. 14.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a shelf on two brackets
20. 20.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
22. 22.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
30. 30.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
35. 35.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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
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.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?

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