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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 223 · 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 plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  3. 3.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  7. 7.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  23. 23.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
  28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  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 lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  38. 38.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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