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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 531 · 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 crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 3 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a planetarium roof
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  21. 21.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  27. 27.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a plank over a drain
  28. 28.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  30. 30.🔺 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
  31. 31.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) take off a side
  35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  37. 37.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  40. 40.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets

Answer key

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

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