Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 625 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
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.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
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 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?
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a truss bridge side
19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
24. 24.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
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.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
35. 35.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
40. 40.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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