Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 69 · 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 frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a truss bridge side
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
12. 12.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
17. 17.🔺 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
18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
21. 21.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
25. 25.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
27. 27.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch

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