Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 542 · 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) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
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.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
20. 20.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
22. 22.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
27. 27.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
37. 37.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
39. 39.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge

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