A lightweight wooden truss is primarily made up of which geometric shape?

Lightweight wooden trusses are primarily made up of triangles due to the inherent structural properties of this geometric shape. Triangles provide excellent stability and strength while using minimal material. When forces are applied to a triangle, they are evenly distributed along all three sides, which allows trusses to efficiently support loads without bending or buckling. The use of triangles in truss design minimizes the risk of deformation under stress and contributes to the overall strength and rigidity of the structure.

The other geometric shapes, while they may have applications in construction, do not provide the same level of structural efficiency and stability as triangles. For example, squares and rectangles can be prone to distortion when subjected to loads, as they do not distribute forces as effectively. Circles are generally not used in truss configurations where linear elements (like beams) are involved. Thus, triangles are the ideal choice for constructing lightweight wooden trusses.