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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 47 · 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 strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  6. 6.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  11. 11.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
  12. 12.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 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 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  22. 22.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 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 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  32. 32.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  40. 40.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

  1. triangle
  2. False
  3. 2
  4. beam
  5. triangle
  6. False
  7. 11
  8. False
  9. squeezed (compression)
  10. arch
  11. a planetarium roof
  12. True
  13. True
  14. 9
  15. dome
  16. add a diagonal brace
  17. triangle
  18. wobbly
  19. 17
  20. 25
  21. triangle
  22. True
  23. 7
  24. True
  25. 15
  26. 9
  27. a truss bridge side
  28. arch
  29. triangle
  30. False
  31. wobbly
  32. a roof truss
  33. a bicycle frame
  34. 5
  35. 27
  36. 3
  37. True
  38. a slab over a canal
  39. triangle
  40. False

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