Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 87 · 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) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
3. 3.🔺 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?
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.🔺 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
6. 6.🔺 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
7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
9. 9.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔺 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
11. 11.🔺 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
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
14. 14.🔺 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?
15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
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) wobbly (b) rigid
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
18. 18.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
20. 20.🔺 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?
21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🔺 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?
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
30. 30.🔺 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?
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
33. 33.🔺 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?
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.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
36. 36.🔺 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?
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway

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