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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 420 · 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 an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
  2. 2.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) square (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
  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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  14. 14.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  19. 19.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  24. 24.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  33. 33.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  35. 35.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
  37. 37.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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