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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 686 · 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) not affected (b) floating (c) squeezed (compression) (d) stretched (tension)
  2. 2.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a slab over a canal (c) an old stone bridge (d) a truss bridge side
  3. 3.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it is very light (c) it bends easily (d) it works in compression
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  7. 7.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a fort gateway (d) a bicycle frame
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a bicycle frame (c) a slab over a canal (d) a fort gateway
  11. 11.True or false: a crane arm uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a round palace roof uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) hexagon (b) triangle (c) rectangle (d) square
  20. 20.True or false: a fort gateway uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  22. 22.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔺 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?
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a plank over a drain (c) a slab over a canal (d) a crane arm
  28. 28.🔺 A flat frame has 6 straight sides joined by loose pins at the corners. What is the least number of corner-to-corner braces needed to make it rigid?
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a truss bridge side (c) a round palace roof (d) a plank over a drain
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  31. 31.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 6 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.True or false: a slab over a canal uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  35. 35.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 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
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome

Answer key

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

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