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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 598 · 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 curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  4. 4.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) an old stone bridge (d) a slab over a canal
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  8. 8.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  10. 10.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 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 of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a round palace roof
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a lintel over a door (c) an igloo (d) a roof truss
  14. 14.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  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.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  18. 18.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a curved stone doorway
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  25. 25.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  27. 27.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  28. 28.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  29. 29.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  31. 31.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  34. 34.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  37. 37.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a round palace roof
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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