Instructions
Read the text below about one of the world's greatest engineering marvels, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Use the information to answer the questions and complete the activities that follow. Take your time and imagine the incredible effort it took to build!
Journey to the Center of the Mountain
Deep beneath the towering Swiss Alps lies a modern wonder: the Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT). Opened in 2016, it is the world's longest and deepest railway tunnel, stretching an amazing 57 kilometers (35.5 miles) through solid rock. To put that in perspective, you could lay more than 500 football fields end-to-end to match its length! At its deepest point, the tunnel is 2,300 meters (7,546 feet) below the mountain peaks above, where the rock temperature can reach a hot 46°C (115°F).
Why build such a massive tunnel? For centuries, crossing the Alps has been a slow and difficult journey. The main goal of the GBT was to create a flat, high-speed route to shift traffic from winding mountain roads to a more efficient and environmentally friendly railway system. It allows high-speed passenger trains and heavy freight trains to traverse the mountain range in record time. Construction was a monumental task, taking 17 years to complete. During that time, engineers and workers excavated over 28 million tonnes of rock—enough to build the Great Pyramid of Giza five times over!
Activity 1: Tunnel Trivia
Based on the text you just read, answer the following questions in full sentences.
- In which country is the Gotthard Base Tunnel located?
- What are the two world records held by this tunnel?
- What was the main environmental and logistical reason for building the tunnel?
- How many years did it take to build the Gotthard Base Tunnel?
- What is a surprising comparison used to describe the amount of rock that was excavated?
Activity 2: Word Power
Match the vocabulary word from the text to its correct definition by writing the correct letter in the blank space.
| Vocabulary Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. _____ Traverse | A. The design, building, and use of engines, machines, and structures. |
| 2. _____ Freight | B. Relating to high mountains, especially the Swiss Alps. |
| 3. _____ Excavated | C. To travel across or through something, like a mountain range. |
| 4. _____ Engineering | D. Goods or cargo transported in bulk by train, truck, ship, or aircraft. |
| 5. _____ Alps | E. To remove earth or rock by digging. |
Activity 3: Math Mission
Passenger trains can travel through the tunnel at an average speed of 200 kilometers per hour (km/h). The tunnel is 57 kilometers long. Show your work for the questions below.
(Hint: Time = Distance ÷ Speed)
- How long does it take the train to travel through the entire tunnel? Give your answer in hours.
- Now, convert your answer from hours into minutes. (Hint: 1 hour = 60 minutes)
Activity 4: Engineer's Log
Imagine you are an engineer who worked on the Gotthard Base Tunnel. In the space below, describe one major challenge you might have faced during its 17-year construction and explain how your team might have solved it. (Consider challenges like heat, water, or the sheer amount of rock.)
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Answer Key
Activity 1: Tunnel Trivia
- The Gotthard Base Tunnel is located in Switzerland.
- The two world records held by the tunnel are that it is the world's longest and deepest railway tunnel.
- The main reason was to shift traffic from roads to a more efficient and environmentally friendly railway system.
- It took 17 years to build the tunnel.
- The amount of excavated rock is compared to being enough to build the Great Pyramid of Giza five times over.
Activity 2: Word Power
- C. Traverse
- D. Freight
- E. Excavated
- A. Engineering
- B. Alps
Activity 3: Math Mission
- Time = 57 km ÷ 200 km/h = 0.285 hours.
- 0.285 hours x 60 minutes/hour = 17.1 minutes.
Activity 4: Engineer's Log
(Answers will vary. The student should identify a logical challenge and propose a reasonable solution. Examples include: dealing with high rock temperatures by using ventilation systems, pumping out underground water that flooded sections, or using different types of tunnel boring machines for different rock hardness.)