Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 623 · 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 5 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 triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
17. 17.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
24. 24.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
36. 36.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

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