Earth Sciences Quiz: Rocks and Layers

Systems of Earth

• Earth consists of four interconnected spheres: lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
• Lithosphere includes the crust and the solid part of the mantle; contains minerals, rocks, and soil.
• Atmosphere's layers include the ozone layer, which protects life by absorbing harmful UV radiation, and contributes to the greenhouse effect.
• Hydrosphere encompasses oceans and inland water bodies; critical for sustaining life.
• Biosphere contains all forms of life and ecosystems, determined by environmental factors such as oxygen, moisture, and temperature.

Disaster Management

• Focuses on conserving lives and property during both natural and human-made disasters.
• Multi-layered disaster management plans address floods, hurricanes, fires, diseases, and droughts.
• Involves understanding key terms: disaster, hazard, exposure, vulnerability, risk, and others relevant to disaster risk reduction.

Lithosphere

• The outer layer of Earth features oceanic and continental crusts; composed of various rocks and minerals.
• Contains over 100 chemical elements; predominantly oxygen, silicon, aluminum, and iron.
• Has four concentric zones: inner core (solid iron), outer core (molten nickel and iron), mantle, and crust (varies in thickness).

Rocks

• Types of rocks include igneous (formed from solidified magma/lava), sedimentary (formed from biotic remnants or precipitation), and metamorphic (altered from existing rocks).
• Igneous rocks comprise primary minerals, while sedimentary rocks contain both primary and secondary minerals.

Atmosphere

• Thermosphere extends from 80 km to about 60,000 km above Earth, characterized by high temperatures and the presence of ions.
• Ozone layer located within the stratosphere, crucial for filtering UV radiation; maximum concentration occurs at 22 km.

Ozone Layer and Depletion

• Ozone layer protects life; its depletion is due to human activities, particularly stable compounds like CFCs and BFCs that release chlorine and bromine radicals.
• These radicals catalyze the breakdown of ozone molecules, reducing their concentration and effectiveness.

Greenhouse Effect

• Involves greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide; essential for maintaining Earth's temperature.
• GHGs act like a blanket, preventing drastic cooling and allowing life to thrive, though their concentrations vary regionally.

Weather

• Weather is the short-term atmospheric conditions resulting from the heat transfer between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere.
• Influenced by air movement and environmental interactions, can change frequently, impacting ecosystems.

Ecosystems

• Terrestrial ecosystems consist of plants, animals, and microorganisms, interacting with non-living components.
• Aquatic ecosystems include marine and freshwater environments, providing services like water supply, food resources, waste breakdown, and recreational opportunities.

Key Terms in Disaster Risk Management

• Exposure: Presence of people, properties, and systems in hazard zones.
• Vulnerability: Characteristics making a community or system susceptible to damage, influenced by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors.
• Poor construction practices and inadequate risk awareness contribute to increased vulnerability.

Test your knowledge about the Earth's structure and formation processes. This quiz covers the four concentric zones of the Earth, the characteristics of the lithosphere, and the formation of different types of rocks. Challenge yourself with questions about igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.