Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 68 · 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 beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
2. 2.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
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.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
9. 9.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a planetarium roof
14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids