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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 156 · 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 8 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 a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  6. 6.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  10. 10.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
  14. 14.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a plank over a drain
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
  22. 22.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
  30. 30.🔺 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
  31. 31.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
  35. 35.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam

Answer key

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

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