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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 183 · 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 truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
  3. 3.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
  8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  10. 10.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  20. 20.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  23. 23.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  24. 24.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
  28. 28.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  29. 29.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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