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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 317 · 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 of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  8. 8.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 13 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 an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
  17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  28. 28.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  36. 36.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a truss bridge side
  39. 39.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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