← Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams lesson New set →

Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 574 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 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
  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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
  13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
  14. 14.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  30. 30.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a planetarium roof
  38. 38.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch

Answer key

  1. 9
  2. triangle
  3. 7
  4. rigid
  5. add a diagonal brace
  6. 5
  7. triangle
  8. it works in compression
  9. 9
  10. 23
  11. squeezed (compression)
  12. a round palace roof
  13. a plank over a drain
  14. True
  15. beam
  16. an old stone bridge
  17. arch
  18. 25
  19. triangle
  20. False
  21. 31
  22. False
  23. wobbly
  24. beam
  25. an igloo
  26. 8
  27. False
  28. True
  29. rigid
  30. True
  31. False
  32. a roof truss
  33. dome
  34. beam
  35. 4
  36. True
  37. a crane arm
  38. False
  39. False
  40. triangle

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