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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 667 · 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 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 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
  9. 9.🔺 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
  10. 10.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  11. 11.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  13. 13.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an igloo (b) a truss bridge side (c) a roof truss (d) a plank over a drain
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  17. 17.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  20. 20.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  21. 21.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a crane arm (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  25. 25.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  30. 30.🔺 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
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  32. 32.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 0 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) triangle (d) dome
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a planetarium roof (d) a bicycle frame
  38. 38.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  40. 40.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a crane arm

Answer key

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

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