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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 348 · 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 roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 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
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  8. 8.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  17. 17.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  23. 23.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
  33. 33.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
  34. 34.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles 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: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

  1. triangle
  2. triangle
  3. dome
  4. wobbly
  5. rigid
  6. 15
  7. triangle
  8. False
  9. 7
  10. False
  11. 6
  12. False
  13. 3
  14. dome
  15. a slab over a canal
  16. arch
  17. False
  18. 3
  19. True
  20. a truss bridge side
  21. 31
  22. arch
  23. squeezed (compression)
  24. 4
  25. False
  26. wobbly
  27. 5
  28. triangle
  29. a curved stone doorway
  30. dome
  31. False
  32. a shelf on two brackets
  33. it works in compression
  34. 9
  35. False
  36. arch
  37. False
  38. True
  39. False
  40. False

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