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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 330 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  3. 3.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
  7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  9. 9.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) triangle
  12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
  13. 13.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
  15. 15.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  20. 20.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  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 of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  29. 29.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  34. 34.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  38. 38.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  39. 39.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam

Answer key

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

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