Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 57 · 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 plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
4. 4.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a fort gateway

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