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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 309 · 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 curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
  6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  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.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
  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.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  23. 23.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  30. 30.🔺 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
  31. 31.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  33. 33.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  36. 36.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo

Answer key

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

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