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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 464 · 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 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  2. 2.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  4. 4.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) an igloo
  11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  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 strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a plank over a drain (d) an igloo
  33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  39. 39.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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