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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 253 · 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.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
  8. 8.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  17. 17.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) an old stone bridge
  19. 19.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  30. 30.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  32. 32.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  38. 38.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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