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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 229 · 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 round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
  17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a truss bridge side
  21. 21.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 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
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  37. 37.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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