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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 191 · 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 an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  6. 6.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  10. 10.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
  12. 12.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  14. 14.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  16. 16.🔺 A flat frame has 5 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 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 roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
  20. 20.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a shelf on two brackets
  22. 22.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  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 of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  35. 35.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  37. 37.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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