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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 88 · 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 bicycle frame uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔺 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
  3. 3.🔺 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?
  4. 4.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) arch (b) beam (c) dome (d) triangle
  5. 5.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 8 triangles standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 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?
  8. 8.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) an old stone bridge (c) a truss bridge side (d) an igloo
  9. 9.🔺 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?
  10. 10.True or false: a slab over a canal uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: a roof truss uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  13. 13.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: a crane arm uses a dome. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔺 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
  16. 16.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a round palace roof (b) a truss bridge side (c) a fort gateway (d) a roof truss
  17. 17.🔺 Which strong shape does a planetarium roof use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  18. 18.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) floating (c) not affected (d) squeezed (compression)
  19. 19.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) square (b) rectangle (c) triangle (d) hexagon
  20. 20.🔺 How do engineers stop a square frame from wobbling? (a) take off a side (b) paint it (c) make it bigger (d) add a diagonal brace
  21. 21.🔺 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?
  22. 22.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an electric pylon (c) a fort gateway (d) a shelf on two brackets
  23. 23.🔺 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?
  24. 24.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a round palace roof (c) a slab over a canal (d) a curved stone doorway
  25. 25.🔺 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
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a fort gateway use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) beam (d) triangle
  27. 27.True or false: a slab over a canal uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: a shelf on two brackets uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) an electric pylon (c) an old stone bridge (d) a curved stone doorway
  30. 30.🔺 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?
  31. 31.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it is very light (b) it is hollow (c) it works in compression (d) it bends easily
  32. 32.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  33. 33.True or false: a crane arm uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔺 Which strong shape does a round palace roof use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) arch (d) triangle
  35. 35.🔺 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?
  36. 36.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) arch (b) triangle (c) beam (d) dome
  37. 37.🔺 Which strong shape does a truss bridge side use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) dome (d) arch
  38. 38.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a slab over a canal (c) a truss bridge side (d) a lintel over a door
  39. 39.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a roof truss (b) a slab over a canal (c) a round palace roof (d) a bicycle frame
  40. 40.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a fort gateway (c) a round palace roof (d) a truss bridge side

Answer key

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

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