Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 333 · 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.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🏚️ 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 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
4. 4.🏚️ 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 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
5. 5.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they bend, not break (b) they look nice (c) they are cheap (d) they stop shaking
6. 6.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
7. 7.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) building tall and narrow (c) using flexible joints (d) fitting rubber base pads
8. 8.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) leaving out steel bars (c) adding cross bracing (d) stacking loose bricks
9. 9.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
10. 10.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) leaving out steel bars (c) making brittle joints (d) using flexible joints
11. 11.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using a light roof (b) leaving out steel bars (c) having a wide base (d) keeping a simple shape
12. 12.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
13. 13.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) keeping a simple shape (c) using flexible joints (d) raising heavy tanks high
14. 14.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
15. 15.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a light roof (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) making brittle joints (d) using flexible joints
16. 16.🏚️ 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 120 cm tall on a 40 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 A (c) tower B
17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) using a heavy roof (c) keeping a simple shape (d) using flexible joints
18. 18.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a heavy roof (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) building tall and narrow (d) raising heavy tanks high
19. 19.🏚️ 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 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
20. 20.🏚️ 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 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
21. 21.🏚️ 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 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
22. 22.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is colourful (b) it is lighter (c) it is taller (d) it is harder to tip over
23. 23.🏚️ 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 40 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 B (b) tower A (c) tower C
24. 24.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
25. 25.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) hanging outside (b) on the very top (c) on a thin pole (d) low down
26. 26.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) making brittle joints (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) adding steel to concrete
27. 27.🏚️ 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 160 cm tall on a 40 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 A (c) tower B
28. 28.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
29. 29.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) leaving out steel bars (c) adding steel to concrete (d) making brittle joints
30. 30.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a microscope (b) a telescope (c) a shake table (d) a fridge
31. 31.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
32. 32.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🏚️ 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 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 80 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
35. 35.True or false: raising heavy tanks high makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
36. 36.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
37. 37.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
38. 38.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
39. 39.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) building tall and narrow (c) using flexible joints (d) having a wide base
40. 40.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False

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