Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 495 · 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: keeping a simple shape makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
2. 2.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) adding cross bracing (c) using flexible joints (d) using a light roof
3. 3.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
4. 4.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 40 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
6. 6.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
7. 7.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🏚️ 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 20 cm tall on a 10 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 C (c) tower A
9. 9.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) hanging outside (b) on a thin pole (c) low down (d) on the very top
10. 10.True or false: using a light roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
12. 12.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using flexible joints (b) keeping a simple shape (c) building tall and narrow (d) fitting rubber base pads
13. 13.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) keeping a simple shape (c) having a wide base (d) raising heavy tanks high
14. 14.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 210 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 easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
15. 15.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) leaving out steel bars (c) adding steel to concrete (d) stacking loose bricks
16. 16.🏚️ 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 30 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 C (b) tower B (c) tower A
17. 17.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they look nice (b) they are cheap (c) they stop shaking (d) they bend, not break
18. 18.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
19. 19.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 40 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest 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 20 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 90 cm tall on a 30 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 C (c) tower A
21. 21.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) stacking loose bricks
22. 22.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing 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) adding steel to concrete (b) having a wide base (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) fitting rubber base pads
24. 24.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
25. 25.🏚️ 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 180 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 120 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
26. 26.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a fridge (b) a microscope (c) a shake table (d) a telescope
27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) using a heavy roof (c) keeping a simple shape (d) building tall and narrow
28. 28.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) stacking loose bricks (c) making brittle joints (d) using flexible joints
30. 30.True or false: stacking loose bricks makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) making brittle joints (c) leaving out steel bars (d) using a light roof
32. 32.🏚️ Does making brittle joints 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 70 cm tall on a 10 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 easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
34. 34.🏚️ 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 80 cm tall on a 20 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 B (c) tower A
35. 35.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) adding cross bracing (c) using flexible joints (d) stacking loose bricks
36. 36.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
37. 37.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) using a light roof (c) keeping a simple shape (d) using a heavy roof
39. 39.🏚️ 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 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 200 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
40. 40.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is lighter (b) it is harder to tip over (c) it is taller (d) it is colourful

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