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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 272 · 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 slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
  4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
  7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  11. 11.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
  19. 19.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  21. 21.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  25. 25.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

  1. False
  2. False
  3. a fort gateway
  4. a truss bridge side
  5. arch
  6. a bicycle frame
  7. a planetarium roof
  8. rigid
  9. add a diagonal brace
  10. wobbly
  11. True
  12. 1
  13. 29
  14. False
  15. 9
  16. False
  17. 9
  18. an old stone bridge
  19. True
  20. it works in compression
  21. False
  22. 4
  23. 5
  24. triangle
  25. a round palace roof
  26. 8
  27. False
  28. triangle
  29. wobbly
  30. True
  31. 3
  32. wobbly
  33. an igloo
  34. 31
  35. beam
  36. beam
  37. False
  38. beam
  39. 27
  40. True

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