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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 615 · 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 a beam. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (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 strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  7. 7.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) make it bigger
  15. 15.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  20. 20.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a plank over a drain
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  29. 29.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
  30. 30.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
  32. 32.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a lintel over a door (c) an old stone bridge (d) a roof truss
  35. 35.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) square (d) rectangle
  36. 36.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  37. 37.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a bicycle frame
  39. 39.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  40. 40.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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