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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 122 · 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.🔺 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
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  6. 6.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  7. 7.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  10. 10.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  17. 17.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
  19. 19.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
  21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  23. 23.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  28. 28.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) an electric pylon
  37. 37.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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