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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 172 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
  3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  4. 4.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
  10. 10.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
  22. 22.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
  29. 29.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle

Answer key

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

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