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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 55 · 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 lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  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 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  8. 8.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
  10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  12. 12.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  13. 13.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  15. 15.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a planetarium roof
  23. 23.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  29. 29.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 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 strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  31. 31.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle

Answer key

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

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