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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 180 · 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 strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
  5. 5.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  16. 16.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  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) wobbly (b) rigid
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  23. 23.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
  25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 A flat frame has 11 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.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  30. 30.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  34. 34.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch

Answer key

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

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