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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 80 · 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 of these uses a beam? (a) a crane arm (b) a plank over a drain (c) a roof truss (d) a curved stone doorway
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  3. 3.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  4. 4.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is hollow (b) it bends easily (c) it is very light (d) it works in compression
  5. 5.🔺 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?
  6. 6.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) rectangle (c) hexagon (d) square
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an igloo (b) an old stone bridge (c) a slab over a canal (d) a plank over a drain
  11. 11.🔺 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
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) arch (c) dome (d) beam
  13. 13.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  15. 15.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) dome (d) beam
  16. 16.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a truss bridge side (b) an old stone bridge (c) a round palace roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  17. 17.🔺 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
  18. 18.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  19. 19.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  20. 20.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an igloo (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a planetarium roof
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a roof truss (c) a curved stone doorway (d) a lintel over a door
  23. 23.Which of these uses a dome? (a) an electric pylon (b) a crane arm (c) a curved stone doorway (d) an igloo
  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: an igloo uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  28. 28.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔺 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?
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.True or false: a fort gateway uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) dome (d) arch
  34. 34.True or false: an igloo uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: an igloo uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  37. 37.True or false: a round palace roof uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a crane arm (c) an electric pylon (d) a slab over a canal
  39. 39.🔺 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?
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

  1. a plank over a drain
  2. triangle
  3. squeezed (compression)
  4. it works in compression
  5. 2
  6. rigid
  7. wobbly
  8. triangle
  9. 9
  10. an old stone bridge
  11. rigid
  12. dome
  13. False
  14. triangle
  15. beam
  16. a round palace roof
  17. rigid
  18. arch
  19. beam
  20. a bicycle frame
  21. 29
  22. a roof truss
  23. an igloo
  24. 11
  25. False
  26. triangle
  27. triangle
  28. True
  29. 7
  30. 5
  31. 5
  32. True
  33. arch
  34. True
  35. False
  36. arch
  37. False
  38. a planetarium roof
  39. 4
  40. 27

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