Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 551 · 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
8. 8.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
17. 17.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
37. 37.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
38. 38.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (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) wobbly (b) rigid
40. 40.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False

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