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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 188 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  7. 7.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 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
  13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) an electric pylon
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
  34. 34.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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