Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 540 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a slab over a canal
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
18. 18.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
28. 28.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
40. 40.🔺 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

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