Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 79 · 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 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?
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
4. 4.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
6. 6.🔺 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?
7. 7.🔺 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?
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
10. 10.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
15. 15.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
33. 33.🔺 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
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 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?
38. 38.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
39. 39.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.🔺 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?

Free engineering lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/engineering-for-kids