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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 311 · 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: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
  5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a crane arm
  12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  14. 14.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a truss bridge side (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
  16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (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.🔺 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?
  23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  33. 33.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
  35. 35.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome

Answer key

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

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