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Engineering Worksheet: Strong Shapes

Engineering lesson 17: Strong shapes: triangles, arches and beams · Set 91 · 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.🔺 Why can an arch carry heavy loads? (a) it bends easily (b) it works in compression (c) it is hollow (d) it is very light
  2. 2.🔺 Which strong shape does a plank over a drain use? (a) dome (b) arch (c) triangle (d) beam
  3. 3.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a plank over a drain (c) a shelf on two brackets (d) an old stone bridge
  4. 4.Which of these uses a beam? (a) a planetarium roof (b) a round palace roof (c) a truss bridge side (d) a plank over a drain
  5. 5.True or false: an igloo uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔺 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?
  7. 7.🔺 Which shape keeps its shape best when its corners are pinned? (a) rectangle (b) triangle (c) square (d) hexagon
  8. 8.🔺 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?
  9. 9.🔺 Which strong shape does a bicycle frame use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  10. 10.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔺 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
  12. 12.True or false: an old stone bridge uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔺 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
  14. 14.Which of these uses a dome? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) an igloo (c) a crane arm (d) a fort gateway
  15. 15.Which of these uses an arch? (a) an electric pylon (b) a curved stone doorway (c) a slab over a canal (d) a planetarium roof
  16. 16.🔺 A beam bends under a load. Its top side is … (a) stretched (tension) (b) not affected (c) squeezed (compression) (d) floating
  17. 17.🔺 One side of a straw bridge is a row of 1 triangle standing point-up and point-down in turn, each sharing a side with the next. How many straws does it use?
  18. 18.True or false: a plank over a drain uses a beam. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔺 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
  20. 20.🔺 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?
  21. 21.Which of these uses triangles? (a) an igloo (b) a plank over a drain (c) an electric pylon (d) a lintel over a door
  22. 22.🔺 Which strong shape does an old stone bridge use? (a) beam (b) triangle (c) arch (d) dome
  23. 23.Which of these uses an arch? (a) a bicycle frame (b) a shelf on two brackets (c) a round palace roof (d) an old stone bridge
  24. 24.True or false: a lintel over a door uses an arch. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a truss bridge side uses triangles. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔺 Which strong shape does a curved stone doorway use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  27. 27.🔺 Which strong shape does an igloo use? (a) beam (b) arch (c) triangle (d) dome
  28. 28.🔺 Which strong shape does a lintel over a door use? (a) arch (b) dome (c) beam (d) triangle
  29. 29.🔺 Which strong shape does a slab over a canal use? (a) triangle (b) beam (c) arch (d) dome
  30. 30.🔺 Which strong shape does a roof truss use? (a) beam (b) dome (c) triangle (d) arch
  31. 31.🔺 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?
  32. 32.🔺 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?
  33. 33.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a slab over a canal (b) a truss bridge side (c) a planetarium roof (d) a shelf on two brackets
  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.True or false: an electric pylon uses an arch. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.Which of these uses triangles? (a) a curved stone doorway (b) a slab over a canal (c) a planetarium roof (d) a crane arm
  37. 37.True or false: a lintel over a door uses a beam. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔺 Which strong shape does a shelf on two brackets use? (a) triangle (b) dome (c) beam (d) arch
  39. 39.True or false: a truss bridge side uses a dome. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔺 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?

Answer key

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

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