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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 27 · 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 plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
  4. 4.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  14. 14.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  19. 19.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) an igloo
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  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.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  25. 25.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
  26. 26.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  33. 33.🔺 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
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  40. 40.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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