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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 687 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  3. 3.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) an old stone bridge (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
  6. 6.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) not affected (b) stretched (tension) (c) floating (d) squeezed (compression)
  9. 9.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) make it bigger (c) add a diagonal brace (d) paint it
  10. 10.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  12. 12.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 1 corner-to-corner brace. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  13. 13.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  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 of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) an electric pylon
  17. 17.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  19. 19.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) rectangle
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  27. 27.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a planetarium roof
  28. 28.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a truss bridge side (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a fort gateway (d) a lintel over a door
  34. 34.🔺 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?
  35. 35.🔺 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
  36. 36.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  38. 38.🔺 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?
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.True or false: a bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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