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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 666 · 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.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  4. 4.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a fort gateway
  11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
  13. 13.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  17. 17.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
  18. 18.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  20. 20.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 3 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  21. 21.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) a planetarium roof
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a fort gateway (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
  31. 31.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  33. 33.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) add a diagonal brace (c) make it bigger (d) paint it
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle

Answer key

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

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