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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 336 · 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.🔺 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
  2. 2.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) an igloo
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  9. 9.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  14. 14.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  24. 24.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
  31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  32. 32.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  37. 37.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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