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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 269 · 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 triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a lintel over a door
  2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
  7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
  8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
  12. 12.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  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.🔺 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 strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  24. 24.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
  32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  34. 34.🔺 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
  35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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