Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 648 · 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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
5. 5.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
22. 22.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
24. 24.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
26. 26.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
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.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome

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