Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 76 · 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) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
2. 2.🔺 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?
3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
4. 4.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
9. 9.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
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 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
15. 15.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
34. 34.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm

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