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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 194 · 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) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  7. 7.🔺 A flat frame has 4 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.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
  12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
  18. 18.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  27. 27.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
  32. 32.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon 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.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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