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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 312 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  7. 7.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a round palace roof
  9. 9.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  12. 12.🔺 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
  13. 13.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  15. 15.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  16. 16.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  24. 24.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
  28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  29. 29.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  32. 32.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  34. 34.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome

Answer key

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

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