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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 132 · 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 hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  5. 5.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  9. 9.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  24. 24.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
  31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  32. 32.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch

Answer key

  1. rigid
  2. a fort gateway
  3. 5
  4. wobbly
  5. 7
  6. 15
  7. False
  8. it works in compression
  9. True
  10. True
  11. 31
  12. beam
  13. triangle
  14. 1
  15. True
  16. squeezed (compression)
  17. False
  18. an igloo
  19. wobbly
  20. dome
  21. 6
  22. an electric pylon
  23. triangle
  24. False
  25. rigid
  26. 17
  27. rigid
  28. rigid
  29. triangle
  30. a slab over a canal
  31. a curved stone doorway
  32. False
  33. an old stone bridge
  34. arch
  35. 7
  36. triangle
  37. 27
  38. True
  39. False
  40. triangle

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