Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 579 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
8. 8.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
9. 9.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
12. 12.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 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 an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
23. 23.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
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.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss

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