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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 399 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  3. 3.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  7. 7.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
  9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
  10. 10.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) an electric pylon
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
  14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  18. 18.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a crane arm
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
  31. 31.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  33. 33.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome

Answer key

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

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