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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 386 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) an electric pylon
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  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 an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
  9. 9.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  11. 11.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  20. 20.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  23. 23.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
  30. 30.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  32. 32.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  36. 36.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a crane arm
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome

Answer key

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

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