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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 241 · 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 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  11. 11.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a slab over a canal
  17. 17.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  20. 20.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
  27. 27.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  35. 35.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) an electric pylon
  38. 38.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch

Answer key

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

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