Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 210 · 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.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
2. 2.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they look nice (b) they stop shaking (c) they bend, not break (d) they are cheap
3. 3.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
5. 5.🏚️ Does leaving out steel bars make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using flexible joints (b) keeping a simple shape (c) making brittle joints (d) having a wide base
7. 7.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is harder to tip over (b) it is taller (c) it is colourful (d) it is lighter
8. 8.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
11. 11.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
12. 12.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) having a wide base (c) leaving out steel bars (d) using flexible joints
14. 14.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) leaving out steel bars (c) building tall and narrow (d) using a heavy roof
15. 15.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
16. 16.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
17. 17.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
18. 18.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) leaving out steel bars (c) using flexible joints (d) adding steel to concrete
19. 19.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
20. 20.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🏚️ 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 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
22. 22.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) using a heavy roof (c) leaving out steel bars (d) making brittle joints
23. 23.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) keeping a simple shape (c) using a heavy roof (d) raising heavy tanks high
25. 25.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
26. 26.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 100 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
27. 27.True or false: having a wide base makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
28. 28.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) adding steel to concrete (c) adding cross bracing (d) using a heavy roof
29. 29.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) low down (b) on a thin pole (c) on the very top (d) hanging outside
30. 30.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
31. 31.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a telescope (b) a shake table (c) a microscope (d) a fridge
32. 32.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) using a heavy roof (b) making brittle joints (c) having a wide base (d) raising heavy tanks high
33. 33.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) stacking loose bricks (c) using a heavy roof (d) making brittle joints
35. 35.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
36. 36.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.🏚️ Does building tall and narrow make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
38. 38.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) keeping a simple shape (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) using a light roof
39. 39.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
40. 40.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe

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