Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 623 · 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.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) having a wide base (b) keeping a simple shape (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) fitting rubber base pads
2. 2.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
3. 3.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
4. 4.True or false: using a light roof 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 120 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower A (c) tower C
6. 6.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) fitting rubber base pads (b) adding cross bracing (c) building tall and narrow (d) having a wide base
7. 7.🏚️ 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 80 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
8. 8.🏚️ 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 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
9. 9.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
10. 10.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
12. 12.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using a light roof (c) building tall and narrow (d) fitting rubber base pads
13. 13.🏚️ 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 100 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
14. 14.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
15. 15.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they look nice (b) they are cheap (c) they bend, not break (d) they stop shaking
16. 16.🏚️ Does leaving out steel bars make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
17. 17.🏚️ 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 40 cm tall on a 10 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
18. 18.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm wide base, tower B is 120 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 10 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
19. 19.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a telescope (b) a microscope (c) a shake table (d) a fridge
20. 20.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) leaving out steel bars (c) building tall and narrow (d) using a heavy roof
21. 21.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) making brittle joints (c) leaving out steel bars (d) fitting rubber base pads
23. 23.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
24. 24.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🏚️ 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 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
26. 26.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
27. 27.🏚️ 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 20 cm tall on a 10 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
28. 28.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) leaving out steel bars (b) using a light roof (c) keeping a simple shape (d) fitting rubber base pads
29. 29.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
30. 30.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) low down (b) hanging outside (c) on the very top (d) on a thin pole
31. 31.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 20 cm tall on a 10 cm wide base, tower B is 50 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
33. 33.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is harder to tip over (b) it is colourful (c) it is taller (d) it is lighter
34. 34.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a heavy roof (b) making brittle joints (c) building tall and narrow (d) using flexible joints
36. 36.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) keeping a simple shape (c) building tall and narrow (d) using a heavy roof
37. 37.True or false: stacking loose bricks makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
39. 39.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) making brittle joints (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) stacking loose bricks (d) building tall and narrow
40. 40.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True

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