Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 300 · 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.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using a heavy roof (c) using flexible joints (d) keeping a simple shape
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) leaving out steel bars (c) having a wide base (d) building tall and narrow
3. 3.🏚️ 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 20 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
4. 4.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is taller (b) it is harder to tip over (c) it is lighter (d) it is colourful
5. 5.🏚️ 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 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 210 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making brittle joints (b) using a heavy roof (c) using flexible joints (d) building tall and narrow
7. 7.🏚️ 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 70 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
8. 8.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) adding cross bracing (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) building tall and narrow
10. 10.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) using a heavy roof (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) adding cross bracing
11. 11.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
12. 12.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a microscope (b) a fridge (c) a shake table (d) a telescope
13. 13.🏚️ 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 80 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
14. 14.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) adding steel to concrete (c) having a wide base (d) building tall and narrow
16. 16.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 80 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
17. 17.🏚️ 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 200 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 10 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
18. 18.🏚️ 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 200 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
19. 19.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) keeping a simple shape (c) leaving out steel bars (d) using a light roof
20. 20.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they are cheap (b) they stop shaking (c) they look nice (d) they bend, not break
21. 21.True or false: stacking loose bricks makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🏚️ Does building tall and narrow make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
23. 23.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) making brittle joints (d) stacking loose bricks
24. 24.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) building tall and narrow (c) making brittle joints (d) raising heavy tanks high
26. 26.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) using flexible joints (c) making brittle joints (d) keeping a simple shape
27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) building tall and narrow (c) adding cross bracing (d) using a heavy roof
28. 28.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
29. 29.🏚️ 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 20 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 20 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
30. 30.🏚️ 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 80 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
31. 31.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
33. 33.🏚️ 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 40 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
34. 34.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
35. 35.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
36. 36.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) using flexible joints (c) using a light roof (d) fitting rubber base pads
38. 38.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) on the very top (b) low down (c) hanging outside (d) on a thin pole
39. 39.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) having a wide base (b) adding cross bracing (c) making brittle joints (d) fitting rubber base pads
40. 40.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False

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