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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 136 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  3. 3.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
  9. 9.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 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
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
  26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
  29. 29.🔺 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
  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.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
  33. 33.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge

Answer key

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

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