Engineering Worksheet: Earthquake-Safe Buildings

Engineering lesson 21: Earthquake-safe buildings · Set 85 · 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.🏚️ 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 160 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) using a light roof (c) keeping a simple shape (d) adding cross bracing
3. 3.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) using flexible joints (b) fitting rubber base pads (c) leaving out steel bars (d) keeping a simple shape
4. 4.True or false: making brittle joints makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) adding cross bracing (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) having a wide base
6. 6.🏚️ 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 60 cm tall on a 10 cm base and tower C is 30 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
7. 7.🏚️ Does using flexible joints make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
8. 8.True or false: having a wide base makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
9. 9.🏚️ 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 280 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 240 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
10. 10.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a light roof (b) keeping a simple shape (c) having a wide base (d) stacking loose bricks
11. 11.🏚️ 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 280 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 60 cm tall on a 20 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower B (c) tower C
12. 12.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 150 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower C (b) tower A (c) tower B
13. 13.🏚️ Why are flexible joints good in an earthquake? (a) they look nice (b) they stop shaking (c) they are cheap (d) they bend, not break
14. 14.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 90 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 60 cm tall on a 30 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 40 cm base. Which is the hardest to tip over? (a) tower A (b) tower C (c) tower B
15. 15.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) building tall and narrow (b) leaving out steel bars (c) using a heavy roof (d) using flexible joints
16. 16.🏚️ Does adding cross bracing make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
17. 17.Which of these makes a building less safe in earthquakes? (a) adding steel to concrete (b) adding cross bracing (c) using flexible joints (d) using a heavy roof
18. 18.🏚️ Why is a wide base safer? (a) it is lighter (b) it is harder to tip over (c) it is colourful (d) it is taller
19. 19.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a heavy roof (b) building tall and narrow (c) raising heavy tanks high (d) fitting rubber base pads
20. 20.🏚️ Does using a light roof make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
21. 21.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using flexible joints (b) having a wide base (c) adding cross bracing (d) using a heavy roof
22. 22.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
23. 23.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) building tall and narrow (b) adding steel to concrete (c) using a heavy roof (d) stacking loose bricks
24. 24.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) using flexible joints (c) making brittle joints (d) having a wide base
25. 25.🏚️ Does adding steel to concrete make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) safer in earthquakes (b) less safe
26. 26.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) raising heavy tanks high (b) adding cross bracing (c) using a heavy roof (d) making brittle joints
27. 27.🏚️ What do engineers use to test models of buildings for earthquakes? (a) a telescope (b) a microscope (c) a shake table (d) a fridge
28. 28.🏚️ Where should heavy water tanks go in a quake zone? (a) on a thin pole (b) low down (c) on the very top (d) hanging outside
29. 29.🏚️ Does using a heavy roof 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) making brittle joints (c) fitting rubber base pads (d) leaving out steel bars
31. 31.True or false: building tall and narrow makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
32. 32.🏚️ Does fitting rubber base pads make a building safer or less safe in an earthquake? (a) less safe (b) safer in earthquakes
33. 33.True or false: raising heavy tanks high makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
34. 34.True or false: using a heavy roof makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
35. 35.True or false: fitting rubber base pads makes a building safer in earthquakes. (a) True (b) False
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: raising heavy tanks high makes a building less safe in earthquakes. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🏚️ Three solid model towers are made of the same material. Tower A is 30 cm tall on a 30 cm wide base, tower B is 80 cm tall on a 40 cm base and tower C is 40 cm tall on a 10 cm base. Which is the easiest to tip over? (a) tower B (b) tower C (c) tower A
39. 39.Which of these makes a building safer in earthquakes? (a) keeping a simple shape (b) using a heavy roof (c) building tall and narrow (d) leaving out steel bars
40. 40.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) using a heavy roof (b) adding cross bracing (c) leaving out steel bars (d) building tall and narrow

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