Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 558 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a slab over a canal
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
27. 27.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

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