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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 587 · 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.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  4. 4.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  12. 12.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) a truss bridge side (d) a round palace roof
  17. 17.True or false: an electric pylon uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
  21. 21.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a round palace roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
  26. 26.🔺 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
  27. 27.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  30. 30.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
  32. 32.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  34. 34.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  35. 35.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) stretched (tension) (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  39. 39.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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