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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 145 · 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.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
  15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  22. 22.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
  26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a lintel over a door (d) a shelf on two brackets
  28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  30. 30.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?

Answer key

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

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