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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 557 · 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.🔺 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
  2. 2.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an old stone bridge (c) a plank over a drain (d) a curved stone doorway
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  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 old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  12. 12.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
  18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a shelf on two brackets
  21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 4 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  31. 31.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  34. 34.🔺 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
  35. 35.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal

Answer key

  1. it works in compression
  2. False
  3. 7
  4. 4
  5. triangle
  6. triangle
  7. an electric pylon
  8. 23
  9. 11
  10. 3
  11. arch
  12. True
  13. 5
  14. 2
  15. squeezed (compression)
  16. 25
  17. an old stone bridge
  18. a shelf on two brackets
  19. beam
  20. a truss bridge side
  21. 9
  22. a roof truss
  23. 27
  24. True
  25. 3
  26. True
  27. rigid
  28. a round palace roof
  29. wobbly
  30. dome
  31. False
  32. beam
  33. triangle
  34. wobbly
  35. False
  36. True
  37. False
  38. False
  39. dome
  40. an igloo

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