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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 211 · 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 curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  10. 10.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  16. 16.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a lintel over a door (d) an electric pylon
  22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  23. 23.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
  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 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  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) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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