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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 591 · 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.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  7. 7.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a crane arm (d) a plank over a drain
  9. 9.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an electric pylon (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an igloo (c) a lintel over a door (d) a fort gateway
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a lintel over a door (d) a curved stone doorway
  29. 29.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a roof truss (d) an igloo
  31. 31.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  34. 34.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a crane arm (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a crane arm (d) a lintel over a door
  39. 39.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch

Answer key

  1. wobbly
  2. dome
  3. 21
  4. dome
  5. triangle
  6. triangle
  7. True
  8. a crane arm
  9. a curved stone doorway
  10. False
  11. 3
  12. False
  13. 6
  14. triangle
  15. arch
  16. add a diagonal brace
  17. arch
  18. a roof truss
  19. 5
  20. 23
  21. False
  22. False
  23. a fort gateway
  24. wobbly
  25. True
  26. beam
  27. 8
  28. a truss bridge side
  29. an igloo
  30. a shelf on two brackets
  31. False
  32. 27
  33. triangle
  34. False
  35. a planetarium roof
  36. rigid
  37. True
  38. a lintel over a door
  39. 17
  40. triangle

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