Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 655 · 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 a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
2. 2.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
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.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
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) wobbly (b) rigid
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
33. 33.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss

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