Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 577 · 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) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
5. 5.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
14. 14.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
16. 16.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
36. 36.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 A flat frame has 5 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
40. 40.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

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