EARTH SCIENCE QUESTIONS

EASY

1. Which theory proposes that the universe began as a single point of extremely high temperature and
density? This initial point expanded and stretched to form the universe as we know it today. It
occurred approximately 13.8 billion years ago.
A. Big Bang Theory C. Special Creation Theory
B. Oscillating Universe Theory D. Steady State Theory
2. Which among the set of planets are called terrestrial?
A. Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus
B. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth
C. Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter
D. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
3. Which system of the Earth is considered as the largest component of the Earth?
A. atmosphere C. geosphere
B. biosphere D. hydrosphere
4. Earth includes beach grasses, forms of life in the sea, on land, and even in the air. Which term best
describes the statement?
A. atmosphere C. geosphere
B. biosphere D. hydrosphere
5. Ozone plays an important function in every single organism on Earth. To what sphere does ozone
layer belong?
A. atmosphere C. geosphere
B. biosphere D. hydrosphere
6. The largest amount of fresh water on our planet is in
A. River
B. Lakes and streams
C. Glaciers and mountains
D. Underground water
7. Which property of minerals refers to breaking along parallel repetitive planes of weakness to form
smooth, flat surfaces?
A. Cleavage B. Fracture C. Specific Gravity D. Hardness
8. Which classification of rock was formed from the alteration of pre-existing rock deep within the Earth
by the presence of extreme heat and pressure?
A. Igneous B. Sedimentary C. Metamorphic D. Plates
9. In which type of rock can fossils be found?
A. Extrusive igneous rock C. Metamorphic rock
B. Intrusive igneous rock D. Sedimentary rock
10. Which feature is created when divergent boundaries are in the ocean?
A. Rift valley B. Trench C. Mid ocean ridge D. volcanoes

AVERAGE

11. What theory states that the lithosphere is divided into continuously moving plates and describes the
forces within the Earth that give rise to continents, ocean basins and mountains?
A. Continental drift C. Seafloor Spreading
B. Plate Tectonic Theory D. None of the above
12. What is the driving force that causes the movement of Earth’s rigid tectonic plates in the planet’s
fluid molten mantle?
A. Conduction C. Radiation
B. Convection current D. None of the above
13. Which field of science deals with the study of rocks?
A. Biology B. Geology C. Paleontology D. Petrology
14. What process of chemical weathering is involved when water reacts with one mineral to form a new
mineral like feldspar into clay?
A. dissolution B. hydrolysis C. oxidation D. pressure
15. What type of weathering is exhibited when the rocks are fractured, cracked, and broken down into
small pieces?
A. chemical weathering C. physical weathering
B. oxidation D. pressure change
16. Which stratigraphic principle explains that a rock’s age can be determined by the fossil it contains?
A. Superposition C. Horizontality
B. Faunal Successions D. Inclusion
17. In what part of the earth does magmatism happen?
A. Asthenosphere B. Earth’s crust C. Earth’s core D. Lithosphere
18. What is the process during earthquake shaking where sand and silt grains in wet soil are
rearranged, and the water in the spaces between the grains are squeezed?
A. Ground shaking C. Liquefaction
B. Landslides D. Tsunami
19. What natural hazard is involved when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault causing
tectonic movement?
A. Earthquake C. Hurricane
B. Cyclone D. Volcanic eruption
[Link] refers to the rising of seawater due to pressure and wind associated with a storm?
A. crustal movement C. Tides
B. Storm Surge D. Waves

DIFFICULT

21. Mantle rocks remain solid when exposed to high pressure. However, during convection, these rocks
tend to go upward (shallower level) and the pressure is reduced. What process is being described?
A. flux melting C. partial melting
B. heat transfer D. decompression melting
22. What type of igneous rock texture has large minerals?
A. aphanitic C. phaneritic
B. glassy D. vesicular
23. Which type of igneous rock forms when magma hardens beneath Earth's surface?
A. clastic C. intrusive
B. extrusive D. non-clastic
24. Who proposed the Law of Uniformitarianism?
a. Aristotle C. James Hutton
B. Nicolas Steno D. James Chadwick
25. Which principle states that physical, chemical and biological processes that work today are the
same forces that worked in the past?
A. Principle of Intrusions C. Principle of Uniformitarianism
B. Principle of Uniformities D. Principle of Original Horizontality
26. What do you call the method of placing geologic events in sequential order as determined by their
position in the rock record?
A. Absolute dating C. Relative Dating
B. Correlation D. Uniformitarianism
27. In which division in the geologic time scale did the continents come together to form the
supercontinent called Pangaea?
A. Paleozoic C. Triassic
B. Cenozoic D. Jurassic

28. In what era did the rocks with fossils of animals and plants such as dinosaurs and trees form?
A. Cenozoic Era C. Paleozoic Era
B. Mesozoic Era D. Phanerozoic Era
29. What do you call the marine arthropods that were made of chiti, like some insects and other
organisms like lobsters?
A. crinoids C. gastropods
B. Fossil clam D. trilobites
30. What is described as an induced flow of seawater into fresh water aquifers primarily caused by
groundwater development near the coast?
A. coastal erosion C. storm surge
B. saltwater intrusion D. submersion
ANSWER KEY
1. Which theory proposes that the universe began as a single point of extremely high temperature and
density? This initial point expanded and stretched to form the universe as we know it today. It
occurred approximately 13.8 billion years ago.
A. Big Bang Theory C. Special Creation Theory
B. Oscillating Universe Theory D. Steady State Theory
2. Which among the set of planets are called terrestrial?
A. Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus
B. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth
C. Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter
D. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
3. Which system of the Earth is considered as the largest component of the Earth?
A. atmosphere C. geosphere
B. biosphere D. hydrosphere
4. Earth includes beach grasses, forms of life in the sea, on land, and even in the air. Which term best
describes the statement?
A. atmosphere C. geosphere
B. biosphere D. hydrosphere
5. Ozone plays an important function in every single organism on Earth. To what sphere does ozone
layer belong?
A. atmosphere C. geosphere
B. biosphere D. hydrosphere
6. The largest amount of fresh water on our planet is in
A. River
B. Lakes and streams
C. Glaciers and mountains
D. Underground water
7. Which property of minerals refers to breaking along parallel repetitive planes of weakness to form
smooth, flat surfaces?
B. Cleavage B. Fracture C. Specific Gravity D. Hardness
8. Which classification of rock was formed from the alteration of pre-existing rock deep within the Earth
by the presence of extreme heat and pressure?
B. Igneous B. Sedimentary C. Metamorphic D. Plates
9. In which type of rock can fossils be found?
A. Extrusive igneous rock C. Metamorphic rock
B. Intrusive igneous rock D. Sedimentary rock
10. Which feature is created when divergent boundaries are in the ocean?
B. Rift valley B. Trench C. Mid ocean ridge D. volcanoes

11. What theory states that the lithosphere is divided into continuously moving plates and describes the
forces within the Earth that give rise to continents, ocean basins and mountains?
C. Continental drift C. Seafloor Spreading
D. Plate Tectonic Theory D. None of the above
12. What is the driving force that causes the movement of Earth’s rigid tectonic plates in the planet’s
fluid molten mantle?
C. Conduction C. Radiation
D. Convection current D. None of the above
13. Which field of science deals with the study of rocks?
A. Biology B. Geology C. Paleontology D. Petrology
14. What process of chemical weathering is involved when water reacts with one mineral to form a new
mineral like feldspar into clay?
A. dissolution B. hydrolysis C. oxidation D. pressure
15. What type of weathering is exhibited when the rocks are fractured, cracked, and broken down into
small pieces?
A. chemical weathering C. physical weathering
B. oxidation D. pressure change
16. Which stratigraphic principle explains that a rock’s age can be determined by the fossil it contains?
C. Superposition C. Horizontality
D. Faunal Successions D. Inclusion
17. In what part of the earth does magmatism happen?
A. Asthenosphere B. Earth’s crust C. Earth’s core D. Lithosphere
18. What is the process during earthquake shaking where sand and silt grains in wet soil are
rearranged, and the water in the spaces between the grains are squeezed?
A. Ground shaking C. Liquefaction
B. Landslides D. Tsunami
19. What natural hazard is involved when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault causing
tectonic movement?
A. Earthquake C. Hurricane
B. Cyclone D. Volcanic eruption
[Link] refers to the rising of seawater due to pressure and wind associated with a storm?
A. crustal movement C. Tides
B. Storm Surge D. Waves

21. Mantle rocks remain solid when exposed to high pressure. However, during convection, these rocks
tend to go upward (shallower level) and the pressure is reduced. What process is being described?
A. flux melting C. partial melting
B. heat transfer D. decompression melting
22. What type of igneous rock texture has large minerals?
A. aphanitic C. phaneritic
B. glassy D. vesicular
23. Which type of igneous rock forms when magma hardens beneath Earth's surface?
A. clastic C. intrusive
B. extrusive D. non-clastic
24. Who proposed the Law of Uniformitarianism?
a. Aristotle C. James Hutton
B. Nicolas Steno D. James Chadwick
25. Which principle states that physical, chemical and biological processes that work today are the
same forces that worked in the past?
A. Principle of Intrusions C. Principle of Uniformitarianism
B. Principle of Uniformities D. Principle of Original Horizontality
26. What do you call the method of placing geologic events in sequential order as determined by their
position in the rock record?
A. Absolute dating C. Relative Dating
B. Correlation D. Uniformitarianism
27. In which division in the geologic time scale did the continents come together to form the
supercontinent called Pangaea?
A. Paleozoic C. Triassic
B. Cenozoic D. Jurassic

28. In what era did the rocks with fossils of animals and plants such as dinosaurs and trees form?
A. Cenozoic Era C. Paleozoic Era
B. Mesozoic Era D. Phanerozoic Era
29. What do you call the marine arthropods that were made of chiti, like some insects and other
organisms like lobsters?
A. crinoids C. gastropods
B. Fossil clam D. trilobites
30. What is described as an induced flow of seawater into fresh water aquifers primarily caused by
groundwater development near the coast?
A. coastal erosion C. storm surge
B. saltwater intrusion D. submersion