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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 219 · 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 an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  3. 3.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
  10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  12. 12.🔺 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
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  32. 32.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  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) wobbly (b) rigid
  36. 36.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome

Answer key

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

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