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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 664 · 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 bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a round palace roof
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) floating (c) stretched (tension) (d) not affected
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a fort gateway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  11. 11.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a round palace roof (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
  12. 12.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 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
  15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
  18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) an igloo (c) a slab over a canal (d) a shelf on two brackets
  19. 19.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  22. 22.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a roof truss (d) an old stone bridge
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a planetarium roof
  24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  26. 26.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) a planetarium roof (d) a plank over a drain
  30. 30.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
  33. 33.🔺 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?
  34. 34.🔺 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
  35. 35.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) add a diagonal brace (c) take off a side (d) paint it
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam

Answer key

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

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