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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 43 · 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 strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
  5. 5.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  12. 12.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  14. 14.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  26. 26.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  27. 27.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
  28. 28.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
  39. 39.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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