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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 254 · 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 an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
  2. 2.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  10. 10.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  12. 12.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  22. 22.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  40. 40.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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