Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 538 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
3. 3.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
14. 14.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
15. 15.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
19. 19.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
31. 31.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
40. 40.🔺 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?

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