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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 480 · 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.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
  20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  21. 21.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  26. 26.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  28. 28.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  34. 34.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
  37. 37.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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