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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 167 · 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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  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.🔺 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
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  7. 7.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  12. 12.🔺 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
  13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
  14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  15. 15.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 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 planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  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.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  34. 34.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) an electric pylon
  36. 36.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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