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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 284 · 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: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
  6. 6.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  9. 9.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a curved stone doorway
  11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  21. 21.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  22. 22.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  32. 32.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly

Answer key

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

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