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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 410 · 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) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
  2. 2.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  4. 4.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  10. 10.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 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
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  15. 15.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
  20. 20.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  24. 24.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  33. 33.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
  39. 39.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge

Answer key

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

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