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Quizzes > Quizzes for Business > Environment

Earth Science Trivia Quiz Challenge

Discover Fascinating Earth Science Facts Today

Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting elements of earth science for a trivia quiz

Ready to uncover Earth's hidden stories? The Earth Science Trivia Quiz offers an engaging challenge for budding geologists and curious learners alike. Perfect for students, educators, or anyone seeking a geology quiz to test and expand their knowledge. Answers and layouts can be freely modified in our editor to suit classrooms or study groups. Looking for more? Check out quizzes, take the Earth Science Knowledge Test, or dive into the Cosmic and Earth History Timeline Quiz!

Which layer of Earth is solid and composed mainly of iron and nickel?
Outer core
Crust
Inner core
Mantle
The inner core is primarily iron and nickel and exists in a solid state due to the extreme pressure at Earth's center. The outer core, by contrast, is molten.
What type of rock forms from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava?
Metamorphic rock
Igneous rock
Shale
Sedimentary rock
Igneous rocks crystallize directly from molten material (magma or lava). Sedimentary and metamorphic rocks form through different processes.
What process describes the wearing away of rock by wind, water, or ice?
Erosion
Metamorphism
Deposition
Weathering
Erosion is the removal and transport of weathered material by agents like water, wind, or ice. Weathering refers to the breakdown of rock in place.
What boundary type involves two tectonic plates moving apart?
Transform boundary
Divergent boundary
Transpressive boundary
Convergent boundary
At a divergent boundary, tectonic plates move away from each other, allowing magma to rise and form new crust. Convergent and transform boundaries involve different plate motions.
Which layer of the Earth is composed of rigid tectonic plates?
Lithosphere
Outer core
Mesosphere
Asthenosphere
The lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost rigid mantle and is broken into tectonic plates. The asthenosphere below it is ductile and allows plate movement.
What drives the convection currents in Earth's mantle?
Heat from the core causing density differences
Tidal forces in the asthenosphere
Gravitational pull of the Moon
Solar radiation penetrating the crust
Heat from Earth's core and radioactive decay causes mantle material to become buoyant and rise, then cool and sink, forming convection currents. These currents drive plate motions.
Which seismic wave arrives first at a seismograph after an earthquake?
Surface wave
S-wave
Love wave
P-wave
P-waves, or primary waves, are compressional waves that travel fastest through Earth and thus arrive first at seismographs. S-waves and surface waves follow later.
Which chemical weathering process involves rock minerals reacting with water?
Frost wedging
Hydrolysis
Carbonation
Oxidation
Hydrolysis is the reaction of minerals with water, leading to the breakdown of silicate minerals into clay. Oxidation and carbonation involve oxygen and carbon dioxide respectively.
What process transforms loose sediments into solid sedimentary rock?
Melting
Metamorphism
Lithification
Erosion
Lithification includes compaction and cementation of sediments into rock. Metamorphism alters existing rocks under heat and pressure without forming new sedimentary layers.
What is the name for the boundary where one tectonic plate sinks beneath another?
Spreading center
Subduction zone
Ridge push
Transform fault
A subduction zone is where one plate descends beneath another into the mantle, often generating deep earthquakes and volcanic arcs. Spreading centers and transform faults have different motions.
Marble is formed by the metamorphism of which sedimentary rock?
Conglomerate
Shale
Sandstone
Limestone
Marble results from heat and pressure acting on limestone, recrystallizing calcite grains. Sandstone and shale metamorphose into quartzite and slate respectively.
Clastic sedimentary rocks are primarily classified by what characteristic?
Grain size
Fossil content
Mineral color
Layer thickness
Clastic sedimentary rocks are sorted and named by the size of their clasts, such as sandstone (sand-sized) or conglomerate (pebble-sized). Color and fossils are secondary descriptors.
Which plate boundary type is characterized by lateral slipping of plates?
Convergent boundary
Transform boundary
Subduction zone
Divergent boundary
Transform boundaries involve plates sliding past one another horizontally, like the San Andreas Fault. Divergent and convergent boundaries have splitting or colliding motions.
What term describes the breakdown of rocks at Earth's surface by chemical, physical, or biological means?
Lithification
Weathering
Deposition
Metamorphism
Weathering includes all processes that break down rock in place, whether by freeze - thaw action, chemical reactions, or organisms. Deposition is the settling of eroded material.
What was the name of the supercontinent that existed about 300 million years ago?
Rodinia
Laurasia
Gondwana
Pangaea
Pangaea was the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic supercontinent that later split into separate continents. Rodinia and Gondwana refer to other supercontinents at different times.
What term describes the rising of land masses after the removal of heavy ice sheets?
Isostatic rebound
Slab pull
Ridge push
Orogeny
Isostatic rebound occurs when the lithosphere slowly uplifts after being depressed by the weight of ice or sediment. Orogeny refers to mountain-building through plate collision.
Which radiometric dating method is commonly used to date volcanic rocks older than 100,000 years?
Carbon-14 dating
Potassium-Argon dating
Uranium-Lead dating
Thermoluminescence
Potassium-Argon dating measures the decay of ^40K to ^40Ar and is effective for volcanic rocks older than about 100,000 years. Carbon-14 is only useful up to ~50,000 years.
Which type of metamorphism is driven by intense shearing along fault zones?
Regional metamorphism
Dynamic metamorphism
Contact metamorphism
Hydrothermal metamorphism
Dynamic metamorphism occurs when rocks are deformed and recrystallized under high differential stress in fault zones. Contact metamorphism is due to heat from intruding magma.
In plate tectonics, what is a triple junction?
A collision of three continents
A three-plate subduction zone
A point where three plate boundaries meet
A triple mantle plume
A triple junction is a geologic point where the boundaries of three tectonic plates converge. The interactions at a triple junction can be combinations of divergent, convergent, or transform boundaries.
Which seismic discontinuity marks the boundary between Earth's crust and mantle?
Mohoroviĝić discontinuity (Moho)
Gutenberg discontinuity
Lehmann discontinuity
Reid discontinuity
The Mohoroviĝić discontinuity, or Moho, is identified by a sudden increase in seismic wave velocities, marking the crust - mantle boundary. The Gutenberg discontinuity separates the mantle and outer core.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse Earth's layers and their characteristics
  2. Identify major geological processes shaping the planet
  3. Evaluate the impact of weathering and erosion
  4. Apply knowledge of the rock cycle to real-world examples
  5. Demonstrate understanding of plate tectonics and seismic activity

Cheat Sheet

  1. Earth's Layers - Imagine your planet is a giant onion with a thin crust, a gooey mantle, and a fiery core that's both liquid and solid. Each layer plays a unique role, from continental crust hosting mountains to the molten outer core generating Earth's magnetic field. Student Notes
    2. student-notes.net
  2. Plate Tectonics - The lithosphere is like a giant jigsaw puzzle made of plates drifting atop the soft asthenosphere, and their movements spark earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain uplift. Understanding plate motions helps us predict seismic events and unravel Earth's restless history. Wikipedia
    3. Wikipedia
  3. Types of Plate Boundaries - At divergent boundaries, plates pull apart to form new crust; at convergent boundaries, they collide to build mountains or create deep trenches; and at transform boundaries, they slide past each other causing quakes. Each boundary type leaves a distinctive mark on the landscape. Wikipedia
    4. Wikipedia
  4. Rock Cycle - Rocks are always on the move: magma cools into igneous rock, which weathers into sediments that form sedimentary rock, and then heat and pressure turn these into metamorphic rock. This cycle explains why you can find glittering quartz one place and sleek marble the next. Wikipedia
    5. Wikipedia
  5. Weathering and Erosion - Weathering is nature's demolition crew breaking down rocks by wind, water, and chemical reactions, while erosion is the moving van carrying these fragments across the globe. Together they sculpt mountains into valleys and create fertile soils. Wikipedia
    6. Wikipedia
  6. Seismic Activity - An earthquake is Earth's stress-relief event when energy stored along fault lines suddenly releases in seismic waves. Scientists use these waves to probe the planet's interior like detectives with X-ray vision. Wikipedia
    7. Wikipedia
  7. Mountain Building - Mountains form in a colossal tug-of-war where converging plates fold and uplift the crust in a process called orogeny. Over millions of years, this creates the towering ranges we marvel at today. Wikipedia
    8. Wikipedia
  8. Volcanic Activity - When plates diverge or one plunges beneath another, magma finds its way to the surface as volcanic eruptions, adding fresh crust and shaping landscapes. These fiery events can also affect global climate and ecosystems. Wikipedia
    9. Wikipedia
  9. Isostatic Rebound - After massive ice sheets melt, the relieved crust slowly springs back upward in a process known as isostatic rebound, reshaping coastlines and sometimes triggering earthquakes long after the ice retreat. It's Earth's way of finding balance. Wikipedia
    10. Wikipedia
  10. Fossil Formation - Fossils are time capsules of ancient life, preserved when organisms get buried in sediment and mineralize over millions of years. Studying them unlocks stories of extinct species and past environments. Wikipedia
    11. Wikipedia
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