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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 81 · 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 an electric pylon use? (a) dome (b) triangle (c) beam (d) arch
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  3. 3.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a curved stone doorway (c) an electric pylon (d) a plank over a drain
  4. 4.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a roof truss
  5. 5.True or false: a curved stone doorway uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) squeezed (compression) (c) not affected (d) floating
  7. 7.🔺 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
  8. 8.True or false: a crane arm uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔺 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) wobbly (b) rigid
  10. 10.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it works in compression (b) it is very light (c) it is hollow (d) it bends easily
  11. 11.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) triangle (b) hexagon (c) rectangle (d) square
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a crane arm use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) triangle (d) beam
  13. 13.True or false: a planetarium roof uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  15. 15.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a shelf on two brackets (b) an igloo (c) a planetarium roof (d) a truss bridge side
  17. 17.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a round palace roof (b) a lintel over a door (c) a bicycle frame (d) an electric pylon
  19. 19.Which of these uses a beam? (a) an old stone bridge (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.🔺 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
  22. 22.🔺 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?
  23. 23.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  24. 24.True or false: a truss bridge side uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 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?
  27. 27.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔺 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?
  29. 29.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  31. 31.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a crane arm (b) a fort gateway (c) a planetarium roof (d) a curved stone doorway
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) arch (d) beam
  35. 35.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a roof truss (c) a truss bridge side (d) a fort gateway
  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.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) paint it (b) take off a side (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  38. 38.🔺 A frame shaped like a hexagon is made of straws joined by loose pins, with 2 corner-to-corner braces. Is it rigid or wobbly? (a) wobbly (b) rigid
  39. 39.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a fort gateway (b) a round palace roof (c) a lintel over a door (d) a roof truss

Answer key

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

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