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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 225 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  10. 10.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) an igloo
  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.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  17. 17.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  23. 23.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
  28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  33. 33.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  35. 35.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  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.🔺 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?
  38. 38.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome

Answer key

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

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