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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 594 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  7. 7.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  8. 8.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a roof truss
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  12. 12.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  13. 13.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a lintel over a door
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a planetarium roof (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  26. 26.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  30. 30.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 A flat frame has 12 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 of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a crane arm
  34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  37. 37.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome

Answer key

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

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