Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 92 · 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 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
4. 4.🔺 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?
5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
8. 8.🔺 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?
9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
10. 10.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
11. 11.🔺 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?
12. 12.🔺 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?
13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
14. 14.🔺 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
15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
18. 18.🔺 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?
19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
20. 20.🔺 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
21. 21.🔺 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?
22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
23. 23.🔺 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?
24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
26. 26.🔺 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?
27. 27.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.🔺 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
29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔺 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?
32. 32.🔺 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?
33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
34. 34.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
39. 39.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

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