Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 704 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
8. 8.🔺 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
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
26. 26.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
40. 40.🔺 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?

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