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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 680 · 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 an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  2. 2.🔺 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?
  3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a lintel over a door
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 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
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  7. 7.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.True or false: a plank over a drain uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a slab over a canal
  15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a round palace roof (c) a roof truss (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 14 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  17. 17.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a crane arm
  18. 18.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  20. 20.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) triangle (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  21. 21.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) a curved stone doorway
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 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
  30. 30.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a roof truss (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an igloo
  31. 31.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  32. 32.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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