Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 29 · 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.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they stop shaking (b) they look nice (c) they bend, not break (d) they are cheap
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) using flexible joints (c) having a wide base (d) adding steel to concrete
3. 3.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using flexible joints (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) using a heavy roof (d) having a wide base
4. 4.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) keeping a simple shape (d) building tall and narrow
5. 5.True or false: raising heavy tanks high makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) stacking loose bricks (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) making brittle joints
7. 7.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using a heavy roof (b) adding cross bracing (c) adding steel to concrete (d) fitting rubber base pads
9. 9.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) using a heavy roof (d) making brittle joints
10. 10.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) having a wide base (c) making brittle joints (d) stacking loose bricks
12. 12.🏚️ 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 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
13. 13.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a microscope (b) a telescope (c) a shake table (d) a fridge
14. 14.🏚️ Does building tall and narrow make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
15. 15.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
16. 16.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
17. 17.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) using a light roof (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) raising heavy tanks high
18. 18.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) keeping a simple shape (c) making brittle joints (d) adding steel to concrete
19. 19.🏚️ 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 40 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 B (c) tower C
20. 20.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 30 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
21. 21.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) on the very top (b) on a thin pole (c) hanging outside (d) low down
22. 22.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is colourful (b) it is harder to tip over (c) it is lighter (d) it is taller
23. 23.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) making brittle joints (c) using flexible joints (d) leaving out steel bars
24. 24.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.🏚️ Does leaving out steel bars 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 60 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 100 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
27. 27.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
28. 28.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.True or false: using a light roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
31. 31.🏚️ 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 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
32. 32.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
34. 34.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) building tall and narrow (c) having a wide base (d) using a heavy roof
35. 35.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) adding steel to concrete (c) using a heavy roof (d) leaving out steel bars
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) building tall and narrow (c) using flexible joints (d) stacking loose bricks
38. 38.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 180 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
40. 40.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) leaving out steel bars (c) using a heavy roof (d) using a light roof

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