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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 77 · 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.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 10 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  3. 3.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  4. 4.True or false: an old stone bridge uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  6. 6.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an old stone bridge
  7. 7.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a slab over a canal (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  8. 8.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) squeezed (compression) (b) not affected (c) floating (d) stretched (tension)
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  10. 10.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a lintel over a door (b) a round palace roof (c) a bicycle frame (d) a planetarium roof
  11. 11.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 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?
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  15. 15.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a plank over a drain (b) a truss bridge side (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
  16. 16.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a planetarium roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a truss bridge side
  17. 17.🔺 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?
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  19. 19.True or false: an electric pylon uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  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.True or false: a bicycle frame uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a round palace roof (b) a bicycle frame (c) a lintel over a door (d) an old stone bridge
  24. 24.🔺 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?
  25. 25.True or false: an electric pylon uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  27. 27.🔺 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
  28. 28.🔺 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
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a planetarium roof (d) an electric pylon
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an electric pylon (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) beam (d) dome
  33. 33.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) a planetarium roof (c) an old stone bridge (d) a round palace roof
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  35. 35.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  37. 37.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 A frame shaped like a pentagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) rigid (b) wobbly
  39. 39.🔺 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
  40. 40.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) add a diagonal brace (d) make it bigger

Answer key

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

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