Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 26 · 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.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a microscope (b) a fridge (c) a telescope (d) a shake table
2. 2.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they are cheap (b) they stop shaking (c) they bend, not break (d) they look nice
3. 3.🏚️ Does building tall and narrow make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
4. 4.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using a heavy roof (c) using a light roof (d) having a wide base
5. 5.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) stacking loose bricks (d) raising heavy tanks high
6. 6.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) keeping a simple shape (c) using a heavy roof (d) raising heavy tanks high
8. 8.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using flexible joints (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) making brittle joints (d) adding steel to concrete
9. 9.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.True or false: stacking loose bricks 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 90 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 80 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
12. 12.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 240 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
13. 13.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
14. 14.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) on a thin pole (b) low down (c) hanging outside (d) on the very top
15. 15.True or false: keeping a simple shape makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) using a heavy roof (c) adding cross bracing (d) making brittle joints
17. 17.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
18. 18.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is harder to tip over (b) it is lighter (c) it is taller (d) it is colourful
19. 19.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
20. 20.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
21. 21.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) stacking loose bricks (d) using flexible joints
22. 22.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
23. 23.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
24. 24.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) having a wide base (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) making brittle joints
26. 26.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
27. 27.🏚️ 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 90 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
28. 28.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
29. 29.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) keeping a simple shape (c) adding cross bracing (d) leaving out steel bars
30. 30.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
31. 31.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) having a wide base (c) building tall and narrow (d) using flexible joints
32. 32.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
33. 33.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) adding steel to concrete (c) using a heavy roof (d) leaving out steel bars
34. 34.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
35. 35.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) using flexible joints (b) stacking loose bricks (c) making brittle joints (d) using a heavy roof
36. 36.🏚️ 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 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
37. 37.🏚️ 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 40 cm tall on a 40 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
38. 38.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using flexible joints (b) adding steel to concrete (c) adding cross bracing (d) using a heavy roof
39. 39.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 80 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
40. 40.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 180 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B

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