Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 432 · 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: adding steel to concrete makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) using a heavy roof (d) adding steel to concrete
3. 3.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 70 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
4. 4.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
5. 5.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 10 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
6. 6.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 160 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 40 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
7. 7.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
8. 8.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) using a heavy roof (b) stacking loose bricks (c) building tall and narrow (d) using flexible joints
9. 9.🏚️ Does building tall and narrow make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
10. 10.🏚️ 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 200 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
11. 11.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they bend, not break (b) they are cheap (c) they look nice (d) they stop shaking
12. 12.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
13. 13.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a telescope (b) a fridge (c) a microscope (d) a shake table
14. 14.🏚️ 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
15. 15.🏚️ Does leaving out steel bars make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
16. 16.🏚️ 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 120 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 60 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.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🏚️ 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 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
19. 19.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 160 cm tall on a 40 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 hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
20. 20.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) using flexible joints (c) having a wide base (d) keeping a simple shape
21. 21.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
22. 22.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) using flexible joints (c) leaving out steel bars (d) keeping a simple shape
24. 24.🏚️ 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 200 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
25. 25.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) stacking loose bricks (d) leaving out steel bars
26. 26.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
27. 27.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) using a heavy roof (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) leaving out steel bars
28. 28.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using a heavy roof (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) using a light roof
30. 30.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making brittle joints (b) having a wide base (c) keeping a simple shape (d) adding cross bracing
31. 31.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) having a wide base (c) adding steel to concrete (d) keeping a simple shape
32. 32.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is lighter (b) it is taller (c) it is harder to tip over (d) it is colourful
33. 33.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
34. 34.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using flexible joints (b) stacking loose bricks (c) using a light roof (d) keeping a simple shape
35. 35.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) having a wide base (c) making brittle joints (d) leaving out steel bars
36. 36.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
37. 37.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
38. 38.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
39. 39.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: stacking loose bricks makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False

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