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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 550 · 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 very light (c) it is hollow (d) it works in compression
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  12. 12.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a plank over a drain
  22. 22.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) a bicycle frame (d) a fort gateway
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 11 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a plank over a drain
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an igloo (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a crane arm
  34. 34.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) an electric pylon (d) a fort gateway
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
  40. 40.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

  1. it works in compression
  2. beam
  3. a curved stone doorway
  4. wobbly
  5. 6
  6. triangle
  7. squeezed (compression)
  8. 1
  9. True
  10. 4
  11. a roof truss
  12. False
  13. True
  14. triangle
  15. True
  16. a shelf on two brackets
  17. arch
  18. 29
  19. 25
  20. 7
  21. an electric pylon
  22. True
  23. a bicycle frame
  24. 5
  25. 23
  26. arch
  27. 7
  28. True
  29. wobbly
  30. False
  31. False
  32. a plank over a drain
  33. a crane arm
  34. True
  35. True
  36. a slab over a canal
  37. dome
  38. wobbly
  39. a planetarium roof
  40. False

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