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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 373 · 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) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  2. 2.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  7. 7.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a bicycle frame (c) an igloo (d) a fort gateway
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
  19. 19.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  21. 21.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  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.🔺 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?
  29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  34. 34.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) an old stone bridge
  37. 37.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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