Unit D: Structures & ForceTopic 1.1 – Classifying

Structures Key Terms

Structure Force Stability Strength

Types of Structures Solid Frame Shell

Need to Know Terms Structure

Any object that provides support

Can be made of one or many parts, may be large or small

A chair, a tree, a statue, a car, a rock, a bone….

Force A push or pull that can

cause and object to change its movement or shape

Structural Strength The ability of a

structure to support both its own weight plus any additional weight applied to it

Structural Stability The ability of a

structure to maintain its position even when it is being acted on by forces

To keep balanced and not get knocked over

The Three Types of Structures1. Solid Structure

A structure made of a solid piece, or a solid combination of pieces, of strong material

2. Shell Structure A structure with a solid outer

surface and a hollow inner area

3. Frame Structure A structure consisting of a rigid

(firm) arrangement of parts joined together

Solid structures have little or no space inside and are usually the strongest of

the three types

The strength of frame structures comes from the way its parts are

assembled

Shell structures are stronger than frame structures and lighter than solid

structures, which is why they are used for protection