Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 689 · 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 curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
2. 2.🔺 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
3. 3.🔺 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
4. 4.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
5. 5.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
21. 21.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
23. 23.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
26. 26.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 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?
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 an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 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
36. 36.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof

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