Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 58 · 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) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
14. 14.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
27. 27.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
29. 29.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
38. 38.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid

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