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Quizzes > Science

Earth Science Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Our Planet

Quick, free earth science trivia quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Sarah Chen LinUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration with layered rock leaf water and sun icons inviting free Earth Science quiz on sky blue background

This earth science quiz helps you check your grasp of rocks, weather, oceans, and ecosystems, then spot topics to review before a test. Answer quick questions and see your results. If you want more practice, explore our earth science trivia, take an earth science practice test, or dive into a weather and climate quiz to sharpen specific skills.

What is the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere?
Carbon Dioxide
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Argon
Nitrogen makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere, making it the most abundant gas. Oxygen comprises roughly 21%, followed by argon and trace gases. This composition is critical for life and atmospheric processes. For more details see .
Which instrument is used to measure atmospheric pressure?
Barometer
Hygrometer
Thermometer
Anemometer
A barometer measures atmospheric pressure by balancing the weight of the air against a column of mercury or aneroid cell. Thermometers measure temperature, hygrometers measure humidity, and anemometers measure wind speed. Atmospheric pressure readings are essential for weather forecasting. Learn more at .
Which scale is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?
Richter scale
Fujita scale
Beaufort scale
Saffir-Simpson scale
The Richter scale quantifies the magnitude of an earthquake by measuring the amplitude of seismic waves. The Beaufort scale measures wind speed, the Fujita scale rates tornado intensity, and the Saffir-Simpson scale categorizes hurricane strength. The Richter scale is logarithmic, so each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in wave amplitude. See for more.
What type of rock forms when magma cools and solidifies?
Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Clastic
Igneous rocks form directly from the cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava. Sedimentary rocks form from the compaction of sediments, and metamorphic rocks arise when existing rocks are altered by heat and pressure. Clastic refers to a type of sedimentary rock texture. For more, visit .
What is the term for molten rock beneath Earth's surface?
Magma
Lava
Basalt
Meltwater
Magma is molten rock stored beneath Earth's crust. When magma erupts onto the surface, it is called lava. Basalt is a common type of volcanic rock, and meltwater refers to water from melting ice or snow. See for further details.
Which layer of Earth is in a liquid state?
Crust
Outer core
Inner core
Mantle
The Earth's outer core is composed of liquid iron and nickel, which allows for the generation of Earth's magnetic field. The inner core is solid due to extreme pressure, the mantle is solid but ductile, and the crust is Earth's rigid outer layer. More information at .
What process describes water changing from a liquid to a vapor?
Sublimation
Precipitation
Condensation
Evaporation
Evaporation is the process by which water molecules transition from the liquid phase to the gas phase, usually at the surface of a body of water. Condensation is the reverse, precipitation is water falling from the atmosphere, and sublimation is a solid directly converting to gas. See .
What is the primary cause of tides on Earth?
Earth's rotation
Wind patterns
Gravitational pull of the Moon
Solar radiation
Tides are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Moon and, to a lesser extent, the Sun on Earth's oceans. Earth's rotation causes the cycle of high and low tides. Wind and solar radiation influence ocean surface conditions but are not the main drivers of tide formation. More at .
Which layer of Earth is considered the solid outermost shell?
Inner core
Mantle
Outer core
Crust
The crust is Earth's solid outermost shell, varying in thickness from about 5 km under oceans to 70 km under continents. The mantle lies beneath the crust, while the core is composed of an outer liquid layer and an inner solid layer. For details, see .
What is the term for the freezing of raindrops into ice pellets before they reach the ground?
Snow
Freezing rain
Hail
Sleet
Sleet occurs when raindrops freeze into ice pellets while falling through a layer of subfreezing air. Hail forms in strong thunderstorms with updrafts, snow forms by direct freezing of water vapor, and freezing rain freezes on contact with surfaces. See .
Which type of front occurs when a cold air mass advances and pushes under a warm air mass?
Warm front
Occluded front
Stationary front
Cold front
A cold front happens when a cooler, denser air mass pushes under a warmer air mass, often causing thunderstorms and a drop in temperature. Warm fronts advance over colder air, stationary fronts stall, and occluded fronts form when a cold front overtakes a warm front. Learn more at .
Which soil horizon is richest in organic material?
B horizon
A horizon
O horizon
C horizon
The O horizon is the topmost soil layer, rich in organic matter such as decomposed leaves and plant material. The A horizon is topsoil with mixed organic and mineral content, while the B horizon accumulates leached minerals, and the C horizon consists of weathered parent material. More at .
What type of plate boundary is characterized by two tectonic plates sliding past one another?
Transform boundary
Convergent boundary
Divergent boundary
Subduction zone
Transform boundaries occur where two tectonic plates grind past each other horizontally, such as the San Andreas Fault. Convergent boundaries involve plates colliding, divergent boundaries involve plates moving apart, and subduction zones are specific convergent settings where one plate dips beneath another. For more, see .
What is the name of the supercontinent that existed about 200 million years ago?
Laurasia
Gondwana
Pangaea
Rodinia
Pangaea was the supercontinent that assembled around 335 million years ago and began to break apart about 175 million years ago. Gondwana and Laurasia were subdivisions of Pangaea, and Rodinia is an earlier supercontinent. More information at .
Which mineral defines a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale?
Topaz
Diamond
Quartz
Corundum
Diamond is the hardest known natural mineral and defines a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale. Quartz scores a 7, corundum is 9, and topaz is 8. The scale is ordinal, comparing scratch resistance. For details see .
What is the main energy source driving the Earth's water cycle?
Gravitational energy
Solar radiation
Tidal forces
Earth's internal heat
Solar radiation provides the energy necessary for evaporation and drives the water cycle by heating Earth's surface and oceans. Earth's internal heat contributes to geothermal processes but not the large-scale water cycle. Tidal forces influence ocean currents but are secondary. Learn more at .
Which measure indicates the acidity or alkalinity of soil or water?
Salinity
Conductivity
Turbidity
pH
pH measures the hydrogen ion concentration, indicating acidity or alkalinity on a scale from 0 to 14. Salinity measures salt content, turbidity measures water clarity, and conductivity indicates ion concentration. More at .
What is dendrochronology used to study?
Rock layers
Volcanic eruptions
Ocean currents
Past climate changes using tree rings
Dendrochronology studies tree ring patterns to infer past environmental conditions, including climate variations and ecological changes. Rock layers are studied in stratigraphy, ocean currents by oceanography, and volcanic eruptions by volcanology. For more, see .
Which climate zone features average temperatures below 10°C throughout the year?
Tropical
Polar
Temperate
Arid
Polar climates have average annual temperatures below 10°C, with long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Tropical climates are warm year-round, temperate climates have moderate seasonal variations, and arid climates are defined by low precipitation. See .
What is the Mohorovi?i? discontinuity (Moho)?
Boundary between mantle and core
Top of the outer core
Boundary between inner and outer core
Boundary between crust and mantle
The Moho is the seismic boundary separating Earth's crust from the underlying mantle, identified by a sudden increase in seismic wave velocities. The mantle-core boundary is deeper and called the Gutenberg discontinuity. For more, visit .
Which greenhouse gas is most responsible for radiative forcing in Earth's atmosphere?
Nitrous oxide
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Ozone
Carbon dioxide is the most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas, contributing the largest portion of radiative forcing. Methane and nitrous oxide are also potent but present in lower concentrations. Ozone contributes regionally. For details see .
What type of rock is formed by compaction and cementation of sediments?
Sedimentary
Volcanic
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary rocks form when sediments are compacted and cemented over time, often preserving fossils. Igneous rocks crystallize from magma, metamorphic rocks are altered by heat and pressure, and volcanic is another term for igneous. More information at .
Which ocean current carries warm water from the Gulf of Mexico toward Western Europe?
Labrador Current
California Current
Gulf Stream
Benguela Current
The Gulf Stream is a powerful, warm Atlantic Ocean current originating in the Gulf of Mexico, flowing along the U.S. eastern seaboard, and crossing toward Western Europe. The California and Benguela Currents are cold currents, and the Labrador Current is a cold subpolar current. See .
What meteorological scale measures wind speed based on observed conditions at sea?
Beaufort scale
Fujita scale
Saffir-Simpson scale
Richter scale
The Beaufort scale estimates wind speed by observing conditions at sea or on land, ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane). The Richter scale measures earthquakes, Saffir-Simpson classifies hurricanes by pressure and wind, and the Fujita scale rates tornadoes. More at .
What term describes the breakdown of rocks at Earth's surface by chemical, physical, or biological processes?
Lithification
Weathering
Erosion
Deposition
Weathering involves the in-place breakdown of rocks through chemical reactions, temperature changes, and biological activity. Erosion transports weathered material, deposition deposits it elsewhere, and lithification turns sediments into rock. For more, see .
Which seismic wave type is the fastest and arrives first at seismic stations?
Surface wave
S-wave
P-wave
Rayleigh wave
P-waves (primary waves) are compressional body waves that travel fastest through solid and liquid materials, arriving first at seismic sensors. S-waves (secondary waves) are slower shear waves that only travel through solids. Surface and Rayleigh waves travel along Earth's surface and arrive later. See .
What mechanism drives the movement of tectonic plates through mantle convection?
Magnetic field forces
Heat transfer from Earth's core
Solar heating
Gravity between plates
Mantle convection is driven by heat from Earth's core and lower mantle causing hot material to rise and cooler material to sink, moving tectonic plates. Gravity contributes to subduction but is not the primary driver, and magnetic or solar forces do not move plates. Learn more at .
What process converts atmospheric nitrogen into forms usable by plants and organisms?
Nitrification
Nitrogen fixation
Denitrification
Ammonification
Nitrogen fixation converts inert N? gas into ammonia (NH?) or related compounds by bacteria, lightning, or industrial processes. Nitrification oxidizes ammonia to nitrate, denitrification returns nitrogen to the atmosphere, and ammonification decomposes organic nitrogen to ammonia. For details, see .
Which soil texture is characterized by roughly equal proportions of sand, silt, and clay?
Loam
Clay
Silt
Sand
Loam is a balanced soil texture containing about 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay, offering good aeration, drainage, and nutrient retention. Pure sand drains quickly but holds few nutrients, silt holds more water, and clay retains water but may impede drainage. See .
What term describes the region where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another into the mantle?
Subduction zone
Transform fault
Collision zone
Rift valley
A subduction zone is a convergent plate boundary where a denser oceanic plate is forced below a lighter continental or oceanic plate, recycling crust into the mantle and generating volcanic activity. Collision zones involve continental plates, rift valleys form at divergent boundaries, and transform faults slide laterally. More at .
Which volcano type is known for steep sides and highly explosive eruptions?
Caldera
Cinder cone
Shield volcano
Stratovolcano
Stratovolcanoes, like Mount St. Helens, have steep profiles and erupt explosively due to viscous magma and gas pressure. Shield volcanoes have gentle slopes and effusive eruptions, cinder cones are small and short-lived, and calderas are depression features formed by collapse after large eruptions. See .
What is relative humidity a measure of?
Dew point temperature
Current water vapor compared to maximum possible
Absolute humidity
Total water vapor in the air
Relative humidity expresses the amount of water vapor present in air as a percentage of the maximum it can hold at that temperature. Absolute humidity measures actual water vapor content per volume, and dew point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated. More at .
What term refers to sedimentary layers that have been tilted or folded by tectonic forces?
Matrix
Strata
Veins
Laminae
Strata are layers of sedimentary rock that can be tilted, folded, or deformed by tectonic pressures. Laminae are very thin layers within strata, veins are mineral-filled cracks, and matrix is the finer-grained material around larger grains. See .
Which rock type forms when existing rock is subjected to high pressure and temperature without melting?
Volcanic
Igneous
Metamorphic
Sedimentary
Metamorphic rocks form under heat and pressure conditions that alter mineralogy and texture without melting. Igneous rocks crystallize from magma, sedimentary rocks form from sediments, and volcanic is another term for extrusive igneous. Learn more at .
What phenomenon causes moving air and water currents to be deflected due to Earth's rotation?
Bernoulli's principle
Foucault effect
Centrifugal force
Coriolis effect
The Coriolis effect deflects moving air and water to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere due to Earth's rotation. Bernoulli's principle explains fluid pressure differences, centrifugal force is an apparent outward force, and the Foucault effect demonstrates Earth's rotation via pendulums. More at .
Which chemical weathering process involves carbon dioxide combining with water to form carbonic acid that dissolves rock?
Carbonation
Oxidation
Hydrolysis
Chelation
Carbonation occurs when CO2 dissolves in water to form weak carbonic acid, which reacts with minerals like calcite, dissolving rock. Oxidation involves reactions with oxygen, hydrolysis is water-driven mineral alteration, and chelation involves organic acids. For more, see .
What is the name of the boundary separating the troposphere from the stratosphere?
Stratopause
Thermocline
Mesopause
Tropopause
The tropopause is the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, marking a temperature inversion that limits vertical mixing. The stratopause separates the stratosphere and mesosphere, mesopause separates mesosphere and thermosphere, and thermocline is a water layer in oceans. More at .
In which geologic era did mammals become the dominant land animals?
Mesozoic
Paleozoic
Cenozoic
Precambrian
During the Cenozoic Era, following the mass extinction at the end of the Mesozoic, mammals diversified and became the dominant land animals. The Mesozoic was the age of dinosaurs, the Paleozoic saw early vertebrates, and the Precambrian covers Earth's early history before complex life. See .
What is the principal mineral composed of calcium carbonate that makes up marble?
Dolomite
Calcite
Quartz
Gypsum
Marble is a metamorphic rock primarily composed of calcite, which is crystalline calcium carbonate. Dolomite is similar but contains magnesium, quartz is silica, and gypsum is calcium sulfate. For more details see .
At approximately what depth does the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary occur beneath continental regions?
About 500 km
About 10 km
About 100 km
About 1000 km
The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary under continents is generally around 100 km depth, where rigid lithosphere overlies the more ductile asthenosphere. Beneath oceans it can be thinner, around 50 km. For more, visit .
Which theoretical model describes how the oceanic lithosphere cools and thickens as it moves away from mid-ocean ridges?
Half-space cooling model
Convection cell model
Thermal blanket model
Plate cooling model
The half-space cooling model predicts that oceanic lithosphere thickness increases with the square root of its age as it moves away from ridge axis and cools conductively. Plate cooling models incorporate a thermal boundary layer thickness limit. More information at .
What parameter, represented by the Brunt-Väisälä frequency, describes the stability of a stratified fluid like the atmosphere?
Coriolis frequency
Buoyancy oscillation frequency
Rossby number
Turbulent kinetic energy
The Brunt-Väisälä frequency quantifies the buoyancy oscillation rate of displaced fluid parcels in a stably stratified environment. It indicates atmospheric or oceanic stability. Coriolis frequency relates to rotation effects, Rossby number compares inertial and Coriolis forces, and turbulent kinetic energy is a different measure. Learn more at .
In seismology, what term describes the orientation and sense of slip on a fault as determined by seismic wave analysis?
Focal mechanism
Epicenter
Hypocenter
Seismic moment
A focal mechanism, often represented by a beach ball diagram, reveals fault orientation and slip direction from seismic wave polarities. The epicenter is the surface point above the focus, the hypocenter is the actual rupture point, and the seismic moment quantifies energy release. More details at .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Earth's Internal Structure -

    Readers will be able to describe the Earth's core, mantle, and crust, reinforcing their grasp on earth science questions about our planet's layers.

  2. Identify Major Rock Types -

    Participants will learn to distinguish between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, enabling accurate answers to questions for earth science.

  3. Analyze Climate and Weather Patterns -

    Users will interpret basic climate data and weather phenomena, sharpening their skills for trivia about earth's atmospheric processes.

  4. Evaluate Ecosystem Interactions -

    Readers will explain key relationships among organisms, energy flow, and habitats, deepening their understanding of ecosystems in earth science quiz questions.

  5. Recall Fundamental Earth Science Facts -

    Participants will reinforce essential knowledge about rivers, rocks, and lifeforms, boosting confidence in answering trivia about earth.

  6. Apply Critical Thinking to Quiz Questions -

    Users will develop strategies for tackling bite-sized trivia challenges, improving accuracy and speed in future earth science questions quizzes.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Earth's Layered Structure -

    The earth's three main layers - crust, mantle, and core - differ in composition and physical state. Mnemonic "Crazy Men Can't Cry" helps recall these layers; understanding this structure is essential for many questions on the earth (USGS).

  2. Rock Cycle Processes -

    The rock cycle describes how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks transform through melting, cooling, weathering, and pressure. Remember "WEEP-MC" (Weathering, Erosion, Erosion, Pressure, Melting, Cooling) to track each step (University geology departments).

  3. Plate Tectonic Boundaries -

    Divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries drive earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building; for example, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a classic divergent zone. Knowing boundary types helps you master key trivia about earth's dynamic crust (NASA).

  4. Hydrologic Cycle Essentials -

    Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration continuously move water through the atmosphere and crust. The phrase "Every Cool Pond Is Inviting" aids recall, vital for earth science questions on water distribution (NOAA).

  5. Global Biome Classification -

    Biomes like tropical rainforest, desert, and tundra differ in climate, vegetation, and biodiversity; the Köppen system (A, B, C, D, E) categorizes them by temperature and precipitation. This framework appears often in trivia about earth ecosystems (IPCC).

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