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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 581 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  2. 2.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) an electric pylon
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  9. 9.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  13. 13.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  15. 15.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) an old stone bridge
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  30. 30.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  31. 31.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  32. 32.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  36. 36.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  37. 37.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) an electric pylon
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  39. 39.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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