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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 313 · 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 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
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  8. 8.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  17. 17.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
  22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  31. 31.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss
  33. 33.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a slab over a canal
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a shelf on two brackets
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  40. 40.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily

Answer key

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

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