Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 605 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
13. 13.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
15. 15.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 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.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
40. 40.🔺 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?

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