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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 215 · 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 bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  7. 7.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  11. 11.🔺 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
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
  14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  15. 15.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  18. 18.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
  22. 22.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome

Answer key

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

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