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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 699 · 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 truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  2. 2.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 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
  5. 5.🔺 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
  6. 6.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  7. 7.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) floating (b) not affected (c) stretched (tension) (d) squeezed (compression)
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a fort gateway (c) a roof truss (d) a lintel over a door
  11. 11.🔺 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?
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it works in compression (c) it is very light (d) it bends easily
  14. 14.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.True or false: a roof truss uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔺 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
  21. 21.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) square (c) hexagon (d) triangle
  22. 22.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 2 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 strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a lintel over a door (d) a crane arm
  26. 26.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a fort gateway (c) an igloo (d) a truss bridge side
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) dome (d) triangle
  31. 31.🔺 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
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  34. 34.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  37. 37.🔺 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?
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  39. 39.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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

Answer key

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

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