Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 624 · 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) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a fort gateway
16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
19. 19.🔺 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
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
23. 23.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
29. 29.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
32. 32.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
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.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome

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