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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 231 · 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 of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
  34. 34.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
  36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain

Answer key

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

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