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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 371 · 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 lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a truss bridge side
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) a roof truss
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  6. 6.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a plank over a drain
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 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 of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a fort gateway
  18. 18.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a truss bridge side
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
  26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
  27. 27.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  28. 28.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
  29. 29.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  40. 40.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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