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WorksheetsBalsa Wood Bridge Introduction
Total questions: 14
Worksheet time: 7mins
Which practice best aligns with the Engineering Design Process emphasized in the Balsa Wood Bridge project?
Guess a design and build it once
Copy a design without changes
Iterate creatively and record design decisions to arrive at the best solution
Avoid documenting steps to save time
A team plans to build a balsa wood structure. To embody the project’s Big Idea, what should they prioritize first?
Jump straight to construction to meet the deadline
Develop and document a creative design that can be evaluated as a best solution
Purchase the most expensive materials available
Choose a design based on popularity alone
Which material is defined as a very lightweight wood used mostly for making models?
Balsa Wood
Plywood
Oak
Maple
Specifications in engineering are best described as:
An explicit set of requirements, usually involving measurements, to be satisfied by a material, product, or service
A list of optional features that may be added later
A general idea without measurable details
A visual sketch used only for brainstorming
What does the term tolerances refer to in measurement?
An acceptable variance from a specified measurement used to determine minimum and maximum
The exact value that must never change
A random error that can be ignored
A decorative feature with no impact on function
In structural engineering, what is a load?
Forces that are applied to a structure
The length of a beam
The color of the materials
A measurement of temperature
Critical load is defined as:
The weight a structure can support before failing
The total cost of materials used
The length of time a structure lasts
The fastest speed a structure can handle
In civil engineering, what does span measure?
The load a structure can carry
The distance between supports
The thickness of materials used
The number of joints in a truss
Which option best defines a truss?
A single beam used to support a roof
A rigid frame of short, straight pieces joined to form triangles or other stable shapes
A flexible cable system distributing weight
A decorative element with no structural purpose
A structure that resists collapse and deformation under a realistic load is described as what?
Elastic
Stable
Plastic
Jointed
Which term describes a squeezing force that presses everything together?
Shear
Compression
Torsion
Resonance
A material experiences parts sliding past each other in opposite directions. Which force is acting?
Compression
Resonance
Shear
Unstable
Which scenario best illustrates torsion?
A column being squeezed by a heavy roof
A beam vibrating strongly when an external force matches its natural frequency
A rod being twisted by a wrench
A frame collapsing under a realistic load
Resonance occurs when a system vibrates with a large amplitude because an external force:
squeezes the system together
twists the system
matches the system's natural frequency
pushes parts to slide in opposite directions
