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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 549 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a fort gateway (d) a truss bridge side
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 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
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  9. 9.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  12. 12.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) an old stone bridge
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
  28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  31. 31.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  32. 32.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an electric pylon
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  37. 37.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  38. 38.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side

Answer key

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

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