Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 652 · 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 9 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
4. 4.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a crane arm
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
17. 17.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
21. 21.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
26. 26.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
32. 32.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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