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Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 577 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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.

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  1. 1.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) adding cross bracing (d) building tall and narrow
  2. 2.True or false: fitting rubber base pads 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 50 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 180 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
  4. 4.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
  5. 5.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) keeping a simple shape (c) stacking loose bricks (d) adding cross bracing
  6. 6.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they stop shaking (b) they are cheap (c) they bend, not break (d) they look nice
  7. 7.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) using flexible joints (d) having a wide base
  11. 11.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) leaving out steel bars (d) stacking loose bricks
  12. 12.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) adding cross bracing (c) having a wide base (d) raising heavy tanks high
  13. 13.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) using a light roof (c) leaving out steel bars (d) using a heavy roof
  14. 14.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) using flexible joints (d) using a heavy roof
  15. 15.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
  16. 16.🏚️ 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
  17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) having a wide base (b) raising heavy tanks high (c) building tall and narrow (d) using a heavy roof
  18. 18.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
  19. 19.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making brittle joints (b) leaving out steel bars (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) using a light roof
  20. 20.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base and tower C is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
  21. 21.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
  22. 22.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) adding steel to concrete (c) building tall and narrow (d) using flexible joints
  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 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 70 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
  24. 24.True or false: stacking loose bricks makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
  26. 26.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) adding cross bracing (c) using a heavy roof (d) raising heavy tanks high
  28. 28.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) using flexible joints (c) using a light roof (d) having a wide base
  29. 29.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
  30. 30.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) using a heavy roof (b) stacking loose bricks (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) building tall and narrow
  31. 31.🏚️ 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 70 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
  32. 32.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) keeping a simple shape (c) stacking loose bricks (d) using a heavy roof
  35. 35.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🏚️ 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 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
  37. 37.True or false: keeping a simple shape makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) leaving out steel bars (c) using a heavy roof (d) adding steel to concrete
  39. 39.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
  40. 40.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes

Answer key

  1. adding cross bracing
  2. True
  3. tower C
  4. safer in earthquakes
  5. stacking loose bricks
  6. they bend, not break
  7. True
  8. True
  9. True
  10. stacking loose bricks
  11. adding steel to concrete
  12. raising heavy tanks high
  13. using a light roof
  14. using flexible joints
  15. safer in earthquakes
  16. low down
  17. having a wide base
  18. safer in earthquakes
  19. using a light roof
  20. tower C
  21. less safe
  22. building tall and narrow
  23. tower B
  24. True
  25. less safe
  26. False
  27. adding cross bracing
  28. raising heavy tanks high
  29. safer in earthquakes
  30. fitting rubber base pads
  31. tower B
  32. True
  33. False
  34. keeping a simple shape
  35. True
  36. tower A
  37. True
  38. adding steel to concrete
  39. safer in earthquakes
  40. less safe

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