Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 669 · 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 strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
2. 2.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
3. 3.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a roof truss
10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
17. 17.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
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) wobbly (b) rigid
22. 22.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
33. 33.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
38. 38.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False

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