Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 658 · 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 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
2. 2.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
3. 3.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a roof truss
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
26. 26.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
35. 35.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

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