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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 233 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  2. 2.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  4. 4.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  6. 6.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  9. 9.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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 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?
  14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  15. 15.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  21. 21.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔺 A flat frame has 5 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.🔺 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?
  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 of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
  26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  27. 27.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
  29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
  30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle

Answer key

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

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