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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 173 · 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) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
  8. 8.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  14. 14.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  19. 19.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
  24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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