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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 128 · 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 curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  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.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
  5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
  6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a crane arm
  7. 7.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  12. 12.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
  19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
  20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
  26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  28. 28.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
  34. 34.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  35. 35.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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