Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 692 · 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) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
8. 8.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
12. 12.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
18. 18.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
23. 23.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🔺 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
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
31. 31.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
35. 35.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.🔺 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
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch

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