Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 631 · 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 fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
6. 6.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
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.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
12. 12.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
14. 14.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
17. 17.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
20. 20.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
21. 21.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
28. 28.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
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) wobbly (b) rigid
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
36. 36.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome

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