Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 589 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
5. 5.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
10. 10.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
15. 15.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
16. 16.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
21. 21.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
22. 22.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
34. 34.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
36. 36.🔺 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
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.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
40. 40.🔺 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?

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