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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 702 · 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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) make it bigger (c) take off a side (d) add a diagonal brace
  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.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a planetarium roof (c) a plank over a drain (d) a bicycle frame
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  6. 6.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a crane arm (d) an igloo
  7. 7.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a roof truss (c) a plank over a drain (d) a fort gateway
  10. 10.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) arch (d) beam
  11. 11.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a bicycle frame
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a fort gateway (b) an electric pylon (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
  14. 14.🔺 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) rigid (b) wobbly
  15. 15.🔺 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?
  16. 16.True or false: a round palace roof uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: a planetarium roof uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔺 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
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  20. 20.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 5 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) an electric pylon (c) an igloo (d) a shelf on two brackets
  23. 23.True or false: a fort gateway uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  26. 26.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔺 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?
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) dome (b) beam (c) arch (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  30. 30.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a slab over a canal (b) an electric pylon (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  33. 33.True or false: a plank over a drain uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is hollow (c) it bends easily (d) it is very light
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 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?
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  38. 38.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a crane arm (c) a roof truss (d) a fort gateway
  39. 39.True or false: a roof truss uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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