Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 637 · 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.🔺 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?
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
23. 23.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
34. 34.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
36. 36.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 A flat frame has 10 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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