Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 73 · 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 lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
5. 5.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔺 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?
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
16. 16.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
17. 17.🔺 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?
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
22. 22.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 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 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
25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.🔺 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?
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
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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