Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 672 · 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 shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
2. 2.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 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?
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.🔺 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
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a fort gateway
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
22. 22.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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?

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