Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 89 · 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 strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
2. 2.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a plank over a drain (d) a shelf on two brackets
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 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?
10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
11. 11.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
22. 22.🔺 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?
23. 23.🔺 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
24. 24.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
28. 28.🔺 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?
29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
33. 33.🔺 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?
34. 34.🔺 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?
35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a curved stone doorway
36. 36.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
38. 38.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
39. 39.🔺 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?
40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam

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