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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 681 · 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 round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) square (c) triangle (d) rectangle
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  6. 6.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) paint it (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  7. 7.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  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.🔺 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?
  12. 12.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  13. 13.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a crane arm (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  14. 14.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a roof truss (d) a slab over a canal
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  18. 18.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an electric pylon (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  20. 20.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a slab over a canal (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
  22. 22.🔺 A flat frame has 4 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 of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a planetarium roof (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
  24. 24.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  25. 25.True or false: a bicycle frame uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) stretched (tension)
  29. 29.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a plank over a drain (d) an old stone bridge
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  34. 34.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  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.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a planetarium roof (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) a slab over a canal
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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