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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 597 · 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 beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  7. 7.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (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.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a round palace roof
  20. 20.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a planetarium roof (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a planetarium roof (d) a fort gateway
  25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  26. 26.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
  28. 28.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  34. 34.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a lintel over a door (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a bicycle frame
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  36. 36.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  40. 40.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a truss bridge side (d) a slab over a canal

Answer key

  1. squeezed (compression)
  2. 9
  3. rigid
  4. True
  5. True
  6. dome
  7. False
  8. arch
  9. 3
  10. True
  11. 6
  12. triangle
  13. triangle
  14. add a diagonal brace
  15. a planetarium roof
  16. triangle
  17. 7
  18. it works in compression
  19. a roof truss
  20. False
  21. a crane arm
  22. rigid
  23. True
  24. a fort gateway
  25. a slab over a canal
  26. True
  27. a plank over a drain
  28. True
  29. beam
  30. False
  31. beam
  32. 11
  33. an electric pylon
  34. an igloo
  35. triangle
  36. False
  37. False
  38. 23
  39. arch
  40. a truss bridge side

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