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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 281 · 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.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  4. 4.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
  6. 6.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
  8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
  11. 11.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
  15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) an electric pylon
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  17. 17.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  25. 25.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  27. 27.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
  39. 39.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam

Answer key

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

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