Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 83 · 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) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
3. 3.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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
10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
15. 15.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
22. 22.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 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
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
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.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.🔺 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

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