Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 639 · 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 bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a truss bridge side (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
15. 15.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a slab over a canal
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
39. 39.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids