Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 70 · 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) not affected (d) floating
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) an electric pylon
6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a lintel over a door
14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
16. 16.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
19. 19.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
21. 21.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
26. 26.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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
35. 35.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
37. 37.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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?

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