Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 659 · 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 4 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a truss bridge side
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
7. 7.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
14. 14.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🔺 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
16. 16.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
18. 18.🔺 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?
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.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
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 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
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome

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