Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 703 · 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 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 of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
4. 4.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔺 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?
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
7. 7.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
10. 10.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
16. 16.🔺 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?
17. 17.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
25. 25.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
28. 28.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
32. 32.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
40. 40.🔺 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?

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