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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 466 · 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 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?
  2. 2.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
  6. 6.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
  8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) not affected
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  11. 11.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  15. 15.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a round palace roof (d) a roof truss
  17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  26. 26.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a plank over a drain
  29. 29.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  33. 33.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 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
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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