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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 296 · 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 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
  6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  7. 7.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  8. 8.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  15. 15.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
  31. 31.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 A flat frame has 9 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  35. 35.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  39. 39.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame

Answer key

  1. 23
  2. 15
  3. an old stone bridge
  4. 9
  5. triangle
  6. a round palace roof
  7. wobbly
  8. True
  9. squeezed (compression)
  10. 8
  11. False
  12. an igloo
  13. rigid
  14. arch
  15. True
  16. False
  17. False
  18. True
  19. 19
  20. 11
  21. beam
  22. 31
  23. it works in compression
  24. triangle
  25. a fort gateway
  26. 1
  27. True
  28. False
  29. wobbly
  30. an electric pylon
  31. False
  32. 27
  33. False
  34. 6
  35. False
  36. True
  37. beam
  38. triangle
  39. False
  40. a shelf on two brackets

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