Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 696 · 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) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 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 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
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
18. 18.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
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.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
39. 39.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
40. 40.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly

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