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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 342 · 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 crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
  5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  10. 10.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  12. 12.🔺 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
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
  15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  19. 19.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
  21. 21.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating

Answer key

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

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