Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 735 · 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) using flexible joints (b) building tall and narrow (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) keeping a simple shape
2. 2.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.True or false: adding steel to concrete makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
4. 4.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) low down (b) on a thin pole (c) hanging outside (d) on the very top
5. 5.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) using a heavy roof
6. 6.True or false: using flexible joints makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 120 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 C (b) tower A (c) tower B
8. 8.🏚️ 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 10 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
9. 9.🏚️ 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 210 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 C (b) tower B (c) tower A
10. 10.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a shake table (b) a telescope (c) a fridge (d) a microscope
11. 11.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
12. 12.🏚️ Does making brittle joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
13. 13.🏚️ 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 30 cm base and tower C is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
14. 14.🏚️ Does having a wide base make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
15. 15.🏚️ Does raising heavy tanks high make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
16. 16.🏚️ Does keeping a simple shape make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
17. 17.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a heavy roof (b) adding steel to concrete (c) making brittle joints (d) leaving out steel bars
18. 18.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) using a heavy roof (b) having a wide base (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) stacking loose bricks
19. 19.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making brittle joints (b) keeping a simple shape (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) leaving out steel bars
20. 20.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
21. 21.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
22. 22.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 280 cm tall on a 40 cm wide base, tower B is 100 cm tall on a 20 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
23. 23.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
24. 24.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they are cheap (b) they look nice (c) they stop shaking (d) they bend, not break
25. 25.🏚️ 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 80 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 180 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
26. 26.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
27. 27.🏚️ Does stacking loose bricks make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
28. 28.🏚️ 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 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 50 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
29. 29.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding cross bracing (b) using a heavy roof (c) stacking loose bricks (d) making brittle joints
30. 30.True or false: raising heavy tanks high makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
31. 31.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) having a wide base (c) stacking loose bricks (d) fitting rubber base pads
32. 32.🏚️ 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 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
33. 33.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
34. 34.True or false: leaving out steel bars makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
35. 35.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) making brittle joints (c) using flexible joints (d) leaving out steel bars
36. 36.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) having a wide base (b) leaving out steel bars (c) keeping a simple shape (d) adding cross bracing
37. 37.True or false: having a wide base makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
38. 38.🏚️ 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 210 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
39. 39.True or false: adding cross bracing makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) stacking loose bricks (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) making brittle joints (d) raising heavy tanks high

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