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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 196 · 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 a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
  10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  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) wobbly (b) rigid
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  31. 31.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  36. 36.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

  1. a slab over a canal
  2. 9
  3. True
  4. a shelf on two brackets
  5. triangle
  6. beam
  7. arch
  8. 5
  9. an old stone bridge
  10. 27
  11. 7
  12. 2
  13. rigid
  14. arch
  15. True
  16. triangle
  17. an igloo
  18. rigid
  19. add a diagonal brace
  20. 7
  21. False
  22. True
  23. a truss bridge side
  24. 3
  25. True
  26. triangle
  27. a planetarium roof
  28. 1
  29. dome
  30. dome
  31. True
  32. a round palace roof
  33. beam
  34. True
  35. it works in compression
  36. 5
  37. beam
  38. 21
  39. True
  40. True

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