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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 560 · 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 bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a planetarium roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  12. 12.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a truss bridge side
  13. 13.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a planetarium roof (d) an old stone bridge
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.🔺 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
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  33. 33.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
  37. 37.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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