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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 432 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  2. 2.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  5. 5.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon 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.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  12. 12.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  14. 14.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  26. 26.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  27. 27.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a bicycle frame (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  30. 30.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  34. 34.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
  37. 37.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  38. 38.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal

Answer key

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

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