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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 548 · 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.

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

Answer key

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

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