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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

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

Answer key

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

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