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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 425 · 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: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  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.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
  9. 9.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a fort gateway
  12. 12.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm
  14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
  20. 20.🔺 A flat frame has 11 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  21. 21.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  26. 26.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
  28. 28.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
  40. 40.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly

Answer key

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

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