Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 706 · 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.🔺 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
2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
3. 3.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
6. 6.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 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 2 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 strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 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
23. 23.🔺 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?
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.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
37. 37.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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

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