Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 618 · 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 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
26. 26.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
40. 40.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

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