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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 395 · 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 an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  2. 2.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
  3. 3.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  10. 10.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  17. 17.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  40. 40.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. triangle
  2. a planetarium roof
  3. add a diagonal brace
  4. 31
  5. False
  6. 5
  7. True
  8. squeezed (compression)
  9. triangle
  10. wobbly
  11. 8
  12. False
  13. rigid
  14. 9
  15. False
  16. dome
  17. False
  18. False
  19. 2
  20. beam
  21. 5
  22. 1
  23. triangle
  24. a fort gateway
  25. arch
  26. False
  27. True
  28. wobbly
  29. rigid
  30. 7
  31. 9
  32. arch
  33. beam
  34. 27
  35. dome
  36. beam
  37. False
  38. dome
  39. beam
  40. False

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