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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 471 · 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 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?
  2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
  5. 5.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  13. 13.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  28. 28.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  29. 29.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
  32. 32.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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