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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 405 · 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.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
  6. 6.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a truss bridge side
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  21. 21.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a round palace roof
  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 fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
  30. 30.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
  32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) a bicycle frame
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  34. 34.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  40. 40.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light

Answer key

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

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