Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 588 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
17. 17.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
24. 24.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
31. 31.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
36. 36.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
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 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
40. 40.🔺 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?

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