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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 510 · 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.🔺 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
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  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.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  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.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
  14. 14.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
  16. 16.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a bicycle frame
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  25. 25.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  27. 27.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  30. 30.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔺 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
  35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  40. 40.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) paint it (d) add a diagonal brace

Answer key

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

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