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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 338 · 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 very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a crane arm
  5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a curved stone doorway
  6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
  10. 10.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  15. 15.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  18. 18.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  33. 33.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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