Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 86 · 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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
4. 4.🔺 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
5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
10. 10.🔺 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?
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
13. 13.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.🔺 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?
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a crane arm
26. 26.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
27. 27.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
28. 28.🔺 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?
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 a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
31. 31.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a crane arm
34. 34.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
39. 39.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
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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