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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 228 · 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) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
  3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  10. 10.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  12. 12.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  14. 14.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  16. 16.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  18. 18.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  25. 25.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
  38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
  40. 40.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly

Answer key

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

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