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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 62 · 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.🔺 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
  2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it is hollow (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  4. 4.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a roof truss
  7. 7.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) a plank over a drain (d) a planetarium roof
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  11. 11.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
  17. 17.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  18. 18.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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?
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) square
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a plank over a drain (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  30. 30.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a planetarium roof
  31. 31.🔺 A flat frame has 12 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.🔺 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
  34. 34.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  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. add a diagonal brace
  2. it works in compression
  3. triangle
  4. False
  5. False
  6. a fort gateway
  7. a plank over a drain
  8. 7
  9. True
  10. a lintel over a door
  11. True
  12. 11
  13. True
  14. wobbly
  15. beam
  16. squeezed (compression)
  17. wobbly
  18. False
  19. 8
  20. arch
  21. triangle
  22. dome
  23. an old stone bridge
  24. beam
  25. triangle
  26. a curved stone doorway
  27. 19
  28. True
  29. triangle
  30. an electric pylon
  31. 9
  32. rigid
  33. wobbly
  34. True
  35. 31
  36. wobbly
  37. 4
  38. 5
  39. False
  40. 1

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