Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 629 · 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.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
7. 7.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
20. 20.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

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