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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 465 · 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 pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔺 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
  6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  8. 8.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  14. 14.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  37. 37.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof

Answer key

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

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