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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 530 · 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) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
  4. 4.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  6. 6.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
  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.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  10. 10.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it bends easily (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  26. 26.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
  31. 31.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  37. 37.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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