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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

Answer key

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

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