Geography · General Awareness

Geology and Earth Structure

1,268 Questions

Geology and Earth Structure explores the physical composition of the planet, including its layers, tectonic plates, and seismic activity. This topic is a core component of geography and general science sections in various competitive exams. Reviewing these concepts builds a solid foundation for answering questions related to natural phenomena.

Layers of the EarthTectonic PlatesEarthquakes and VolcanoesGeomagnetism ApplicationsGeophysical MethodsLandform Formation

Geology and Earth Structure Questions

Multiple choice
  1. A. G. Wegener

  2. Vidal de la Blache

  3. Hary Hess

  4. W. M. Davis

  5. Ptolemy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer. He propounded it in 1960, which further validated the hypothesis of continental drift.

Multiple choice

The term “rent”, as used in line 12 of the passage, could most likely mean

Answer this question based on the following passage.

            That tectonic earthquakes are closely 
            connected with the formation of faults 
            seems now established beyond doubt. 
            They occur far from all traces of recent
(5)        volcanic action. Their isoseismic lines 
            are elongated in directions parallel to 
            known faults. Indeed, when several 
            isoseismics are carefully drawn, it is 
            possible from their form and relative 
(10)      position to predict the position of the 
            originating fault.The initial formation and 
            further spreading of the rent may be the 
            cause of a few earthquakes, but by far the 
            larger number are due to the subsequent 
(15)      growth of the fault. The relative displacement
            of the rocks adjoining the fault, which may 
            amount to thousands of feet, occasionally 
            even to miles, is the result, not of one great
            movement, but of innumerable slips taking 
(20)      place in different parts of the fault and spread
            over vast ages of time. With every fault-slip,
            intense friction is suddenly brought into action
            by the rubbing of one mass of rock against the
            other; and, according to the modern view, it is 
(25)      this friction that gives rise to the earthquake 
            waves.
            In most earthquakes, the slip takes place at a 
            considerable depth, several miles down, and 
            the vertical slip is so small that it dies out 
(30)      before reaching the surface. But, in a few 
            violent earthquakes, the slip is continued up 
            to the surface and is left visible there as a 
            small cliff or fault-scarp. In these cases, the 
            sudden spring of the crust may increase and 
(35)      complicate the effects of the vibratory shock.

  1. tectonic plate

  2. fissure

  3. slip

  4. rock

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The preceding sentence is about the originating fault. The sentence, “The initial formation and further spreading…” is an easy give away. It has to be about a fault or a fissure.

Multiple choice

The primary purpose of the passage is to describe

Answer this question based on the following passage.

            That tectonic earthquakes are closely 
            connected with the formation of faults 
            seems now established beyond doubt. 
            They occur far from all traces of recent
(5)        volcanic action. Their isoseismic lines 
            are elongated in directions parallel to 
            known faults. Indeed, when several 
            isoseismics are carefully drawn, it is 
            possible from their form and relative 
(10)      position to predict the position of the 
            originating fault.The initial formation and 
            further spreading of the rent may be the 
            cause of a few earthquakes, but by far the 
            larger number are due to the subsequent 
(15)      growth of the fault. The relative displacement
            of the rocks adjoining the fault, which may 
            amount to thousands of feet, occasionally 
            even to miles, is the result, not of one great
            movement, but of innumerable slips taking 
(20)      place in different parts of the fault and spread
            over vast ages of time. With every fault-slip,
            intense friction is suddenly brought into action
            by the rubbing of one mass of rock against the
            other; and, according to the modern view, it is 
(25)      this friction that gives rise to the earthquake 
            waves.
            In most earthquakes, the slip takes place at a 
            considerable depth, several miles down, and 
            the vertical slip is so small that it dies out 
(30)      before reaching the surface. But, in a few 
            violent earthquakes, the slip is continued up 
            to the surface and is left visible there as a 
            small cliff or fault-scarp. In these cases, the 
            sudden spring of the crust may increase and 
(35)      complicate the effects of the vibratory shock.

  1. the origin of earthquakes within the bosom of earth and their outward friction

  2. the manifestations of a tectonic earthquake and its origin in the gradual development of stress

  3. formation and development of tectonic faults within the earth

  4. how and where different types of earthquakes take place

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lines 21 - 31: “With every fault-slip, intense friction is suddenly brought into action… In most earthquakes ... But, in a few violent earthquakes …”

Multiple choice
  1. velocity of wind

  2. depth of an ocean

  3. velocity of earth's rotation

  4. intensity of an earthquake

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Richter scale, developed by Charles Richter in 1935, measures the magnitude (intensity) of earthquakes based on seismic wave amplitude recorded by seismographs. It's logarithmic - each whole number increase represents 10 times greater amplitude and about 31.6 times more energy release.

Multiple choice
  1. Lithosphere

  2. Mesosphere

  3. Asthenosphere

  4. Barysphere

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Earth's innermost layer is the Core (also called Barysphere in older literature). It consists of a solid inner core and liquid outer core, primarily composed of iron and nickel. The Lithosphere is the rigid outer layer, while Asthenosphere is the ductile layer beneath it.

Multiple choice
  1. a, b and c

  2. a and b

  3. a and c

  4. only a

  5. only c

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as both statements a and b are correct.