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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 54 · 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  4. 4.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a lintel over a door
  9. 9.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  13. 13.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  26. 26.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) rectangle (d) triangle
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
  30. 30.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.🔺 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
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  37. 37.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  38. 38.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  40. 40.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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