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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 340 · 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: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  12. 12.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  26. 26.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  32. 32.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  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. False
  2. True
  3. arch
  4. add a diagonal brace
  5. beam
  6. 3
  7. beam
  8. beam
  9. rigid
  10. arch
  11. 5
  12. True
  13. rigid
  14. False
  15. a fort gateway
  16. 25
  17. triangle
  18. a truss bridge side
  19. 27
  20. 21
  21. 4
  22. 1
  23. True
  24. False
  25. a lintel over a door
  26. False
  27. it works in compression
  28. 2
  29. wobbly
  30. True
  31. dome
  32. True
  33. squeezed (compression)
  34. an igloo
  35. wobbly
  36. triangle
  37. triangle
  38. dome
  39. 15
  40. 3

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