Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 552 · 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) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a crane arm
4. 4.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
7. 7.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
14. 14.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
24. 24.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a roof truss
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal

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