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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 603 · 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 crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  7. 7.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
  10. 10.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
  17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
  18. 18.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  22. 22.🔺 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
  23. 23.🔺 A flat frame has 8 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  25. 25.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  27. 27.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  30. 30.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  34. 34.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  36. 36.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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