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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 320 · 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 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?
  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 bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  7. 7.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a plank over a drain (c) a slab over a canal (d) an electric pylon
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  15. 15.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
  25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 A flat frame has 4 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a planetarium roof
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
  37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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