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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 56 · 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 of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a planetarium roof (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
  6. 6.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  9. 9.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it is hollow
  14. 14.🔺 A frame shaped like a square is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  19. 19.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  22. 22.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  25. 25.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  34. 34.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) an electric pylon (d) a truss bridge side
  36. 36.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) an old stone bridge
  39. 39.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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