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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 278 · 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 crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a shelf on two brackets
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
  13. 13.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  15. 15.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  20. 20.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a crane arm
  22. 22.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  28. 28.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  33. 33.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
  39. 39.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side

Answer key

  1. a crane arm
  2. 17
  3. 2
  4. an electric pylon
  5. triangle
  6. add a diagonal brace
  7. False
  8. True
  9. a roof truss
  10. a plank over a drain
  11. a lintel over a door
  12. a planetarium roof
  13. True
  14. triangle
  15. False
  16. 1
  17. 3
  18. triangle
  19. a fort gateway
  20. False
  21. an old stone bridge
  22. False
  23. a curved stone doorway
  24. wobbly
  25. 31
  26. 27
  27. arch
  28. it works in compression
  29. 5
  30. False
  31. 9
  32. triangle
  33. True
  34. False
  35. 21
  36. False
  37. False
  38. a slab over a canal
  39. True
  40. a shelf on two brackets

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