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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 508 · 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 shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  2. 2.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
  5. 5.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a crane arm (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
  13. 13.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a curved stone doorway
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
  21. 21.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  23. 23.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) an electric pylon (d) an old stone bridge
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  27. 27.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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