Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 643 · 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 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
13. 13.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
21. 21.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
27. 27.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
38. 38.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
39. 39.🔺 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?
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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