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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 346 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  6. 6.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
  13. 13.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (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.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
  23. 23.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  30. 30.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
  31. 31.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  34. 34.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  36. 36.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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