Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 554 · 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.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
15. 15.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
20. 20.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
23. 23.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome

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