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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 114 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  5. 5.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  9. 9.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  22. 22.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  31. 31.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  39. 39.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch

Answer key

  1. 21
  2. 1
  3. False
  4. a planetarium roof
  5. True
  6. False
  7. False
  8. beam
  9. False
  10. triangle
  11. True
  12. True
  13. 5
  14. dome
  15. triangle
  16. wobbly
  17. add a diagonal brace
  18. a shelf on two brackets
  19. triangle
  20. a truss bridge side
  21. 31
  22. False
  23. 19
  24. 25
  25. triangle
  26. rigid
  27. squeezed (compression)
  28. a plank over a drain
  29. 9
  30. wobbly
  31. triangle
  32. 17
  33. a roof truss
  34. True
  35. an electric pylon
  36. 3
  37. False
  38. beam
  39. wobbly
  40. dome

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