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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 63 · 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 strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  5. 5.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  12. 12.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a plank over a drain (d) a crane arm
  13. 13.True or false: a round palace roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a roof truss
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  16. 16.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  18. 18.🔺 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?
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  21. 21.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) not affected
  26. 26.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an electric pylon (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
  30. 30.True or false: a lintel over a door uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  34. 34.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  36. 36.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a bicycle frame (d) an igloo
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a crane arm (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  39. 39.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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