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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 679 · 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 of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a planetarium roof (d) a slab over a canal
  2. 2.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) squeezed (compression) (c) stretched (tension) (d) floating
  6. 6.🔺 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
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  8. 8.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 7 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  9. 9.True or false: an old stone bridge uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔺 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
  11. 11.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it works in compression (d) it is very light
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  13. 13.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 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?
  15. 15.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.🔺 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?
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  19. 19.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a fort gateway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  21. 21.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a fort gateway (b) a plank over a drain (c) a bicycle frame (d) an old stone bridge
  22. 22.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  23. 23.True or false: a fort gateway uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a planetarium roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 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
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  34. 34.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a slab over a canal
  35. 35.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a bicycle frame (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a round palace roof
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  40. 40.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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