Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 690 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
18. 18.🔺 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
19. 19.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
29. 29.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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