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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 48 · 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 dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
  2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
  8. 8.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 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 11 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 strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  23. 23.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon 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.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  26. 26.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
  29. 29.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a lintel over a door (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  34. 34.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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