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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 467 · 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 shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  4. 4.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) paint it (d) take off a side
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  7. 7.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 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 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?
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a shelf on two brackets
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 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 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a lintel over a door
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a truss bridge side
  24. 24.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  36. 36.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam

Answer key

  1. a shelf on two brackets
  2. triangle
  3. triangle
  4. False
  5. add a diagonal brace
  6. triangle
  7. True
  8. rigid
  9. 11
  10. 2
  11. a truss bridge side
  12. beam
  13. 3
  14. 8
  15. squeezed (compression)
  16. a round palace roof
  17. triangle
  18. beam
  19. 25
  20. 3
  21. a planetarium roof
  22. triangle
  23. a curved stone doorway
  24. True
  25. wobbly
  26. True
  27. 5
  28. beam
  29. an electric pylon
  30. 1
  31. wobbly
  32. False
  33. False
  34. False
  35. triangle
  36. False
  37. a bicycle frame
  38. dome
  39. wobbly
  40. arch

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