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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 608 · 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.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
  2. 2.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) hexagon (c) triangle (d) square
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  4. 4.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) not affected
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  10. 10.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a truss bridge side (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a roof truss
  12. 12.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) make it bigger
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) a roof truss
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  17. 17.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  18. 18.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
  19. 19.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  20. 20.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a curved stone doorway
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  32. 32.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a slab over a canal
  33. 33.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  34. 34.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  36. 36.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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