+

Houses vs. EarthquakesJasmine Barrow, Eli Moraru, Nadia Bangura, Jericho Desalegn/ Period 1

+Problem/Purpose

How do different man-made or natural structures react to earthquakes?

+Research

Research shows that the more flexible a structure is it will with stand an earthquake longer. For example Haiti is building more earthquake resistant buildings with more flexible materials. Over recent years many countries are changing how they make earthquake prone structures so there is less damage done. They also discovered that if you give windows space to shake so it will not break as easily. Scientist discovered that if a structure can sway it will be less likely to fall. The research helped our group make our hypothesis which is that the play-dough will last the longest because it is more flexible than our other materials.

+Hypothesis, Independent Variable, and Dependent Variable

The materials in the experiment are plastic Jell-O cups, cardboard and play-dough. The most flexible material will last the longest based on the research. If we change the materials of the structure then the more flexible which is the play-dough so the play-dough will last the longest. Our hypothesis is that the play-dough will last the longest.

Independent Variable: The materials used to make the structures are the independent variables.

Dependent Variable: The dependent variable is how long the structure will stay standing up.

+Materials

Shake table

Cardboard

8 tooth picks

2 empty jello cups

Elmer's glue

Paper

Pen/Pencil

+Procedures

Assemble shake table

Collect materials to make structures

Create structures

Place structure on shake table

Shake the shake table

Record times

Repeat for 3 trials

Do same for the other structures

+ Data Table

Type of Structure

Trail # 1

Trail # 2

Trail # 3

Averages for each Trail

Play dough

1 Shake

19 Shakes

1 Shake

7 Shakes

Card board

1 Shake

4 Shakes

5Shakes

3.33Shakes

Plastic 2 Shakes

3Shakes

2 Shakes

2 Shakes

+Citation

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2007/01/rocking-the-house-3/

http://quake.abag.ca.gov/housing

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/14/132904427/in-hatis-rebuilding-calls-for-stronger-structures

http://sciencemuseum.org.uk/attena/building/building/enviorment/index.asp

+ Analysis (Bar graph)

Trail 1 Trail 2 Trail 30

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Play-DoughCard boardPlastic

shake

s

+ Analysis

Av-er-

ages

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

PlaydoughCardboardPlastic

shakes

AAVERAGES

PLAY-DOUGH

CARD BOARD

JELL-O CUP PLLASSTIC

+Conclusion, Part 1

If we change the materials of the structures, then the more flexible structure will hold up the longest. Our groups hypothesis was supported by the data because it held up the longest with an average of 7 shakes. Some changes we would make to our experiment would be to make the weight of all our structures the same. We would do this because the playdough structure kept on sinking in on the shake table. We would also change the shape of the structures and how they connected. We think if we would’ve made the structures connected better that we would have had different results. Some factors that might have affected our results other than the independent variable could be the weight, the type of materials we used, the shape and how they structures were connected.

+Conclusion Part Two

The results relate to the real world because the results can be helpful in building real earthquake resistant structures. Now that we know that more flexible structures stay up the longest. Builders should use flexible materials in structures.