Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 78 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
2. 2.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
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.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
12. 12.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
13. 13.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
16. 16.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔺 A flat frame has 7 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🔺 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?
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
30. 30.🔺 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
31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
40. 40.🔺 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?

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