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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 129 · 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 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
  6. 6.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  11. 11.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  18. 18.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  25. 25.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  27. 27.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  28. 28.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  32. 32.🔺 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
  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.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle

Answer key

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

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