Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 670 · 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 roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
13. 13.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) an electric pylon
18. 18.🔺 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
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 strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle

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