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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 665 · 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) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  2. 2.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  3. 3.🔺 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
  4. 4.🔺 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?
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  13. 13.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  17. 17.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a shelf on two brackets
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 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
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  25. 25.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a curved stone doorway
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  40. 40.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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