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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 255 · 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 triangles. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a bicycle frame
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  10. 10.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  16. 16.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 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 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  35. 35.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

  1. False
  2. a fort gateway
  3. a bicycle frame
  4. 4
  5. squeezed (compression)
  6. dome
  7. beam
  8. 27
  9. triangle
  10. False
  11. triangle
  12. False
  13. 6
  14. 9
  15. arch
  16. True
  17. True
  18. a truss bridge side
  19. triangle
  20. beam
  21. it works in compression
  22. arch
  23. 1
  24. 17
  25. 3
  26. an electric pylon
  27. 31
  28. an igloo
  29. a slab over a canal
  30. triangle
  31. 15
  32. beam
  33. a plank over a drain
  34. triangle
  35. True
  36. True
  37. rigid
  38. 8
  39. 29
  40. 9

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