Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 586 · 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 a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a slab over a canal
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
16. 16.🔺 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
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 strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 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 triangles. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
36. 36.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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