Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 600 · 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 an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
10. 10.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
11. 11.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a crane arm
17. 17.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
28. 28.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
33. 33.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
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 roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam

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