Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 513 · 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 safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 20 cm tall on a 10 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
3. 3.🏚️ 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 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 200 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
4. 4.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using flexible joints (b) adding steel to concrete (c) adding cross bracing (d) stacking loose bricks
5. 5.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using flexible joints (b) adding steel to concrete (c) keeping a simple shape (d) raising heavy tanks high
7. 7.🏚️ 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 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
8. 8.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) using flexible joints (c) adding cross bracing (d) having a wide base
9. 9.🏚️ 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 120 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 30 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
10. 10.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) leaving out steel bars
11. 11.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) using a heavy roof (c) leaving out steel bars (d) using flexible joints
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.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
14. 14.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using a light roof (b) using flexible joints (c) leaving out steel bars (d) adding steel to concrete
15. 15.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
16. 16.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
17. 17.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) using a light roof (c) making brittle joints (d) building tall and narrow
18. 18.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) adding cross bracing (c) having a wide base (d) using a light roof
19. 19.🏚️ Does leaving out steel bars make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
20. 20.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) leaving out steel bars (c) adding cross bracing (d) making brittle joints
21. 21.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using a light roof (c) having a wide base (d) building tall and narrow
22. 22.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 60 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 80 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower B (c) tower A
23. 23.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
25. 25.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
26. 26.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) having a wide base (c) making brittle joints (d) raising heavy tanks high
27. 27.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
28. 28.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) leaving out steel bars (c) adding cross bracing (d) stacking loose bricks
29. 29.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
30. 30.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is taller (b) it is colourful (c) it is harder to tip over (d) it is lighter
31. 31.True or false: raising heavy tanks high makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 30 cm tall on a 10 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
33. 33.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) using a heavy roof (c) adding steel to concrete (d) adding cross bracing
34. 34.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using flexible joints (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) making brittle joints
35. 35.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) on the very top (b) low down (c) on a thin pole (d) hanging outside
36. 36.🏚️ 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 80 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
37. 37.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a heavy roof (b) making brittle joints (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) using a light roof
38. 38.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they are cheap (b) they bend, not break (c) they look nice (d) they stop shaking
39. 39.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False

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