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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 501 · 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 plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
  3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  22. 22.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) paint it
  24. 24.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  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.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a lintel over a door
  31. 31.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  32. 32.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  38. 38.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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