Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 556 · 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 strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
24. 24.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
30. 30.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
37. 37.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids