Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 85 · 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 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
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
6. 6.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
12. 12.🔺 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
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
15. 15.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🔺 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
17. 17.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔺 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?
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
26. 26.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
29. 29.🔺 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?
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
31. 31.🔺 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?
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.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 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?
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

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