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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 334 · 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.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a truss bridge side (d) an electric pylon
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) an electric pylon
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  23. 23.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a crane arm (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
  36. 36.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  40. 40.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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