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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 224 · 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 truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  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 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?
  19. 19.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
  21. 21.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
  23. 23.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
  26. 26.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
  33. 33.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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