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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 197 · 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) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
  14. 14.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  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.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  30. 30.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
  32. 32.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (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.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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