Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 708 · 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 a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
6. 6.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
28. 28.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
39. 39.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

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