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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 301 · 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 strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  2. 2.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  8. 8.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) an electric pylon
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  24. 24.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  29. 29.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
  31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  34. 34.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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