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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 678 · 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 truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  3. 3.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  7. 7.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a crane arm
  8. 8.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  9. 9.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a plank over a drain (c) an igloo (d) a lintel over a door
  10. 10.🔺 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?
  11. 11.🔺 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
  12. 12.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) an igloo (c) an electric pylon (d) a round palace roof
  13. 13.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a lintel over a door (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  14. 14.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 9 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  17. 17.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) add a diagonal brace (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) take off a side
  18. 18.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a truss bridge side (d) a curved stone doorway
  19. 19.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔺 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
  25. 25.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  28. 28.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  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 a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a plank over a drain (c) a fort gateway (d) a crane arm
  32. 32.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  33. 33.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  36. 36.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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