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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 190 · 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 of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
  2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
  5. 5.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  10. 10.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  20. 20.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  21. 21.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  22. 22.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
  25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
  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 frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  28. 28.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  35. 35.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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