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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 381 · 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 of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  4. 4.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
  15. 15.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
  22. 22.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  24. 24.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  25. 25.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
  34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a lintel over a door
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 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. a planetarium roof
  2. an old stone bridge
  3. dome
  4. True
  5. 3
  6. True
  7. arch
  8. an electric pylon
  9. 4
  10. False
  11. True
  12. 23
  13. False
  14. a crane arm
  15. add a diagonal brace
  16. rigid
  17. beam
  18. it works in compression
  19. False
  20. False
  21. a round palace roof
  22. False
  23. triangle
  24. squeezed (compression)
  25. True
  26. a truss bridge side
  27. arch
  28. True
  29. beam
  30. a plank over a drain
  31. 27
  32. True
  33. a curved stone doorway
  34. True
  35. True
  36. triangle
  37. beam
  38. an igloo
  39. 25
  40. 17

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