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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 657 · 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 of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a lintel over a door (c) a fort gateway (d) a curved stone doorway
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) square (d) rectangle
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a round palace roof (d) a fort gateway
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an electric pylon
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  10. 10.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  17. 17.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it is hollow
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  19. 19.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  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.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a bicycle frame (d) a truss bridge side
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  37. 37.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 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 strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome

Answer key

  1. a truss bridge side
  2. 31
  3. 29
  4. triangle
  5. a fort gateway
  6. 11
  7. an electric pylon
  8. 7
  9. a lintel over a door
  10. True
  11. 4
  12. True
  13. arch
  14. 23
  15. True
  16. add a diagonal brace
  17. it works in compression
  18. triangle
  19. squeezed (compression)
  20. beam
  21. 2
  22. True
  23. rigid
  24. rigid
  25. 3
  26. 5
  27. False
  28. 13
  29. True
  30. False
  31. triangle
  32. a curved stone doorway
  33. 21
  34. True
  35. an igloo
  36. beam
  37. 15
  38. beam
  39. arch
  40. dome

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