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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 343 · 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.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a bicycle frame (d) an electric pylon
  5. 5.🔺 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
  6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  13. 13.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  21. 21.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
  28. 28.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 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
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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 round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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