Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 559 · 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) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) a crane arm
3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
5. 5.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
9. 9.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
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 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
16. 16.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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