Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 630 · 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 shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
4. 4.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
14. 14.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
20. 20.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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?
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 fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 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 dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
36. 36.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
38. 38.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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?

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