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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 507 · 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 roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  5. 5.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  12. 12.🔺 A flat frame has 9 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.🔺 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
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  15. 15.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
  17. 17.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
  19. 19.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  36. 36.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge

Answer key

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

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