Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 654 · 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) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
15. 15.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.🔺 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
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm

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