Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 693 · 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 shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
7. 7.🔺 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
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
19. 19.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 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
22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
23. 23.🔺 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?
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.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
29. 29.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a round palace roof
35. 35.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
38. 38.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch

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