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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 290 · 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 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
  3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  14. 14.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 A flat frame has 8 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.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a shelf on two brackets
  29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  34. 34.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle

Answer key

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

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