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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 536 · 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 bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 A frame shaped like a square 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.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a roof truss (d) a bicycle frame
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
  13. 13.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  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 fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  18. 18.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 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 truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  23. 23.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
  26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  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.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  32. 32.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 A flat frame has 10 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.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  38. 38.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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