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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 1 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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

Answer key

  1. a truss bridge side
  2. 19
  3. a round palace roof
  4. False
  5. 29
  6. 3
  7. 9
  8. True
  9. True
  10. wobbly
  11. wobbly
  12. triangle
  13. a curved stone doorway
  14. triangle
  15. a roof truss
  16. True
  17. dome
  18. squeezed (compression)
  19. 7
  20. arch
  21. True
  22. True
  23. an old stone bridge
  24. True
  25. beam
  26. 3
  27. a planetarium roof
  28. arch
  29. False
  30. 2
  31. False
  32. 5
  33. 21
  34. False
  35. wobbly
  36. False
  37. 9
  38. triangle
  39. it works in compression
  40. rigid

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