Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 661 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
10. 10.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
26. 26.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
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 strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
35. 35.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

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