Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 620 · 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 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) an igloo
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
14. 14.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
15. 15.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
25. 25.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
26. 26.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
27. 27.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
39. 39.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
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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