Unit 1 Quiz 

The Planet Earth:

Origin of the Solar System and the Earth; Geosphere and the composition of the Earth; Shape and size of the Earth; Earth-Moon system; Dating rocks and age of the Earth; Volcanism and volcanic landforms; Interior of the Earth; Earthquakes; Earth’s magnetism and gravity, Isostasy; Basic elements of Plate Tectonics; Orogenic cycles.

✅Origin of the Solar System and the Earth

• The Solar System formed about 4.6 billion years ago from a collapsing nebula, leading to the creation of the Sun at the center and planets—including Earth—forming from the surrounding disk.

• Accretion, major collisions, and differentiation shaped the early Earth.

Book reference:

• "The Origin and Evolution of the Solar System" by Michael M. Woolfson

• "The Origin and Nature of Life on Earth: The Emergence of the Fourth Geosphere" by Eric Smith and Harold Morowitz

✅Geosphere and the Composition of the Earth

• The geosphere comprises the crust (continental and oceanic), mantle, and core.

• The crust and mantle mainly consist of silicate rocks, while the core is predominantly iron and nickel.

Book reference:

• "Earth Systems: Processes and Issues" by W.G. Ernst

✅Volcanism and Volcanic Landforms

• Volcanism includes the formation of various landforms such as shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, calderas, and intrusive bodies like batholiths.

• Types and characteristics depend on magma composition, tectonics, and eruption style.

Book reference:

• "Tectonic Geomorphology" in Treatise on Geomorphology, edited by Warren D. Huff et al.

✅Dating Rocks and Age of the Earth

• Methods like radiometric dating (uranium-lead, potassium-argon) help determine Earth’s age as approximately 4.54 billion years.

• Meteorites and oldest Earth minerals confirm this estimate.

Book reference:

• "The Dating Game: One Man's Search for the Age of the Earth" by Cherry Lewis

• "The Bible, Rocks and Time: Geological Evidence for the Age of the Earth" by Davis A. Young and Ralph F. Stearley

✅Interior of the Earth

• Divided into crust, mantle, outer core (liquid), and inner core (solid); mainly studied via seismic waves and geophysical data.

• Variations in temperature, pressure, and composition define these layers.

Book reference:

• "Constitution of the Earth's Interior" by Leliwa-Kopystynski

✅Earthquakes

• Result from sudden energy release along fault lines, volcanic activity, or isostatic adjustment.

• Measured via seismographs; classified by magnitude and intensity.

Book reference:

• "Earthquakes and Other Earth Movements" by John Milne

• "Earthquakes (A True Book: Earth Science)" by Ann O. Squire

✅Isostasy & Orogenic Cycles

• Isostasy explains the vertical equilibrium of Earth's crust as it "floats" on the mantle.

• Mountain building, glacial melting/collapse, and sediment deposition/erosion affect isostatic balance.

• Orogenic cycles describe the process of mountain building through plate collision, subduction, and related geological processes.

• Mountains like the Himalayas are current examples of active orogeny.

Book reference:

• "Earth Systems: Processes and Issues" by W.G. Ernst