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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 653 · 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 12 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) paint it (d) take off a side
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  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 shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  10. 10.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  14. 14.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  19. 19.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a plank over a drain (c) a slab over a canal (d) an igloo
  20. 20.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a round palace roof
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a shelf on two brackets
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  30. 30.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  35. 35.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  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.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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