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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 616 · 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.🔺 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?
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  3. 3.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a crane arm (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
  5. 5.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a bicycle frame (c) an electric pylon (d) an igloo
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a roof truss
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  10. 10.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a crane arm (d) a shelf on two brackets
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  13. 13.🔺 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?
  14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  15. 15.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 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
  17. 17.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a slab over a canal
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) a round palace roof
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a roof truss (c) a bicycle frame (d) a plank over a drain
  23. 23.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger
  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.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  32. 32.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a plank over a drain (d) an electric pylon
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 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
  37. 37.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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