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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 602 · 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 triangles. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
  3. 3.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  5. 5.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  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) rigid (b) wobbly
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  14. 14.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a truss bridge side
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  16. 16.🔺 A flat frame has 7 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  17. 17.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  22. 22.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  24. 24.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  28. 28.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a planetarium roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a round palace roof
  31. 31.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a lintel over a door (d) an igloo
  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 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.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

  1. False
  2. a curved stone doorway
  3. True
  4. 19
  5. True
  6. False
  7. rigid
  8. triangle
  9. wobbly
  10. 7
  11. an old stone bridge
  12. dome
  13. triangle
  14. a truss bridge side
  15. dome
  16. 4
  17. False
  18. squeezed (compression)
  19. 1
  20. 27
  21. beam
  22. True
  23. arch
  24. True
  25. 3
  26. 7
  27. triangle
  28. triangle
  29. wobbly
  30. a bicycle frame
  31. a fort gateway
  32. 2
  33. False
  34. a roof truss
  35. beam
  36. an igloo
  37. False
  38. 21
  39. True
  40. 17

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