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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 435 · 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) a bicycle frame (b) a roof truss (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
  2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  7. 7.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  24. 24.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  31. 31.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a plank over a drain
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  36. 36.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch

Answer key

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

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