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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 227 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  4. 4.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  5. 5.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a bicycle frame
  11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  13. 13.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  24. 24.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
  27. 27.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  28. 28.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  30. 30.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  32. 32.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
  38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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