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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 413 · 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 beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
  2. 2.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) floating
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
  14. 14.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
  18. 18.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) an electric pylon (d) a bicycle frame
  20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
  23. 23.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
  28. 28.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  36. 36.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  38. 38.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  39. 39.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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