Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 146 · 40 questions

Engineer's tip (Low, wide, flexible): Safer: wide base, flexible joints, bracing, steel in concrete, light roof, rubber pads, simple shape. Less safe: heavy tops, narrow bases, loose bricks, no steel, brittle joints. Tipping: compare height ÷ base width — the smaller it is, the steadier the block.

1. 1.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 120 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 20 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
2. 2.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) using a heavy roof (c) having a wide base (d) using a light roof
3. 3.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) adding cross bracing (c) adding steel to concrete (d) using flexible joints
4. 4.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they bend, not break (b) they are cheap (c) they look nice (d) they stop shaking
5. 5.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
6. 6.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
7. 7.True or false: using a light roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is lighter (b) it is colourful (c) it is harder to tip over (d) it is taller
11. 11.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a shake table (b) a telescope (c) a microscope (d) a fridge
12. 12.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) making brittle joints (d) stacking loose bricks
13. 13.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) using a heavy roof (c) making brittle joints (d) adding steel to concrete
14. 14.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 120 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 20 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
15. 15.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
16. 16.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 200 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 20 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
19. 19.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) on a thin pole (b) hanging outside (c) low down (d) on the very top
20. 20.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
22. 22.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 140 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
26. 26.True or false: having a wide base makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
27. 27.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
28. 28.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
29. 29.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) having a wide base (b) making brittle joints (c) using a heavy roof (d) building tall and narrow
30. 30.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
31. 31.🏚️ Does building tall and narrow make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
32. 32.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) building tall and narrow (c) keeping a simple shape (d) adding cross bracing
33. 33.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using a light roof (b) using flexible joints (c) keeping a simple shape (d) leaving out steel bars
34. 34.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) having a wide base (c) using flexible joints (d) leaving out steel bars
35. 35.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 200 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 20 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 120 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
36. 36.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
37. 37.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) building tall and narrow (c) adding steel to concrete (d) adding cross bracing
38. 38.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 10 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 120 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
39. 39.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using flexible joints (b) making brittle joints (c) having a wide base (d) adding steel to concrete

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