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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 682 · 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.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  2. 2.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
  3. 3.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a truss bridge side (c) an igloo (d) a bicycle frame
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  5. 5.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 15 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: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it works in compression (c) it bends easily (d) it is hollow
  8. 8.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  9. 9.🔺 A flat frame has 10 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  10. 10.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a planetarium roof (c) a roof truss (d) a shelf on two brackets
  14. 14.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) rectangle (d) hexagon
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) an electric pylon
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) make it bigger (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  24. 24.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a bicycle frame
  25. 25.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  27. 27.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  28. 28.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  29. 29.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a roof truss (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  32. 32.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a roof truss (b) an igloo (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
  33. 33.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) triangle (d) arch
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a roof truss uses a dome. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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