Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 627 · 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 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?
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
9. 9.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 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 of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
25. 25.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
27. 27.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
33. 33.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
40. 40.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

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