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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 10 · 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 strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
  6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
  7. 7.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  19. 19.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  24. 24.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  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 bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  40. 40.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. arch
  2. wobbly
  3. a roof truss
  4. an igloo
  5. a crane arm
  6. it works in compression
  7. True
  8. True
  9. a truss bridge side
  10. 9
  11. 6
  12. False
  13. True
  14. add a diagonal brace
  15. arch
  16. triangle
  17. 11
  18. triangle
  19. False
  20. False
  21. a shelf on two brackets
  22. False
  23. rigid
  24. True
  25. dome
  26. 5
  27. False
  28. True
  29. triangle
  30. 25
  31. wobbly
  32. False
  33. 23
  34. rigid
  35. 17
  36. dome
  37. 9
  38. triangle
  39. dome
  40. True

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