Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 553 · 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 triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
8. 8.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
11. 11.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
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) wobbly (b) rigid
14. 14.🔺 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?
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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
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) wobbly (b) rigid
18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
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.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
35. 35.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a truss bridge side (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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