Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 71 · 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) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 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
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 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?
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
17. 17.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a crane arm
24. 24.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
32. 32.🔺 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
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
34. 34.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
35. 35.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 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
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
38. 38.🔺 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
39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle

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