Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 576 · 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 an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) an electric pylon
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
8. 8.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
11. 11.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
12. 12.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
14. 14.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
22. 22.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
34. 34.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
40. 40.🔺 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?

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