50 GK Questions With Answers : The Origin and Evolution of The Earth
Geography forms the backbone of many competitive exams, especially topics like the origin and evolution of the Earth. This chapter offers insights into the creation of our planet, the formation of continents, early atmospheric conditions, and the geological timeline of life.
In this blog post, we’ve compiled 50 Most Important GK MCQs on the Origin and Evolution of the Earth with detailed answers. These questions are ideal for aspirants preparing for UPSC, SSC, Railway, CDS, NDA, State PSC, and other government exams. Understanding these facts not only strengthens your static GK but also gives an edge in environment, science, and geography-related sections.
GK Questions
- Which theory proposes that the Earth and other planets formed from a rotating cloud of gas and dust?
a) Big Bang Theory
b) Nebular Hypothesis
c) Tidal Theory
d) Planetesimal Hypothesis - Who proposed the Nebular Hypothesis for the origin of the solar system?
a) Isaac Newton
b) Immanuel Kant
c) Edwin Hubble
d) Galileo Galilei - The Big Bang Theory is associated with the origin of:
a) The Universe
b) The Earth
c) The Moon
d) The Solar System - Approximately how old is the Earth, based on scientific estimates?
a) 12 years
b) 12 million years
c) 4.6 billion years
d) 12 billion years - What is the primary source of energy for the formation of the solar system?
a) Nuclear fission
b) Gravitational collapse
c) Electromagnetic radiation
d) Geothermal energy - Which gas was dominant in the early Earth’s atmosphere?
a) Methane
b) Oxygen
c) Nitrogen
d) Carbon dioxide - The process of accretion refers to:
a) The cooling of the Earth’s core
b) The accumulation of particles to form planets
c) The splitting of continents
d) The formation of oceans - Which theory suggests that the Moon was formed from debris ejected after a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized body?
a) Capture Theory
b) Fission Theory
c) Giant Impact Hypothesis
d) Co-accretion Theory - The geological time scale divides Earth’s history into:
a) Days and weeks
b) Years and decades
c) Eons, eras, periods, and epochs
d) Centuries and millennia - Which eon marks the formation of the Earth and the earliest rocks?
a) Hadean Eon
b) Archean Eon
c) Proterozoic Eon
d) Phanerozoic Eon - The primary source of Earth’s internal heat is:
a) Solar radiation
b) Radioactive decay
c) Volcanic eruptions
d) Tidal forces - Which layer of the Earth was formed first during its differentiation?
a) Crust
b) Mantle
c) Core
d) Lithosphere - The process by which Earth’s layers were separated based on density is called:
a) Convection
b) Differentiation
c) Sedimentation
d) Erosion - Which gas, absent in Earth’s early atmosphere, became abundant due to photosynthetic organisms?
a) Nitrogen
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Oxygen
d) Methane - The supercontinent that existed around 300 million years ago is called:
a) Gondwana
b) Pangaea
c) Laurasia
d) Rodinia - The theory of continental drift was proposed by:
a) Charles Darwin
b) Alfred Wegener
c) Harry Hess
d) James Hutton - Which evidence supported the theory of continental drift?
a) Magnetic reversal patterns
b) Fossil distribution across continents
c) Ocean currents
d) Earthquake patterns - The theory of plate tectonics explains:
a) The formation of the solar system
b) The movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates
c) The origin of life
d) The cooling of Earth’s core - Which era is known as the “Age of Reptiles”?
a) Paleozoic Era
b) Mesozoic Era
c) Cenozoic Era
d) Proterozoic Eon - The oldest rocks on Earth, found in Canada, belong to which eon?
a) Archean Eon
b) Hadean Eon
c) Proterozoic Eon
d) Phanerozoic Eon - Which event marked the boundary between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras?
a) Formation of Pangaea
b) Mass extinction of dinosaurs
c) Emergence of mammals
d) Formation of the Himalayas - The Earth’s magnetic field is primarily generated by:
a) Solar wind
b) Dynamo effect in the outer core
c) Crustal movements
d) Volcanic activity - Which of the following is NOT a layer of the Earth?
a) Crust
b) Mantle
c) Core
d) Atmosphere - The first life forms on Earth were likely:
a) Mammals
b) Single-celled prokaryotes
c) Dinosaurs
d) Plants - The process of outgassing contributed to the formation of:
a) Earth’s core
b) Earth’s early atmosphere
c) Earth’s magnetic field
d) Earth’s crust - Which period is known for the dominance of dinosaurs?
a) Cambrian
b) Devonian
c) Jurassic
d) Quaternary - The Earth’s crust is thinnest under:
a) Oceans
b) Mountains
c) Plains
d) Plateaus - Which gas was NOT a major component of Earth’s primordial atmosphere?
a) Methane
b) Ammonia
c) Water vapor
d) Oxygen - The supercontinent Rodinia existed during which eon?
a) Hadean Eon
b) Archean Eon
c) Proterozoic Eon
d) Phanerozoic Eon - The Great Oxygenation Event occurred during which eon?
a) Hadean Eon
b) Archean Eon
c) Proterozoic Eon
d) Phanerozoic Eon - Which scientist proposed the sea-floor spreading hypothesis?
a) Alfred Wegener
b) Harry Hess
c) Charles Lyell
d) James Hutton - The Earth’s lithosphere is broken into:
a) Continents
b) Tectonic plates
c) Oceans
d) Fault lines - Which era is known as the “Age of Mammals”?
a) Paleozoic Era
b) Mesozoic Era
c) Cenozoic Era
d) Proterozoic Eon - The oldest fossils of complex life forms are found in which period?
a) Cambrian
b) Devonian
c) Permian
d) Triassic - The Earth’s core is primarily composed of:
a) Silicon and oxygen
b) Iron and nickel
c) Aluminum and magnesium
d) Carbon and sulfur - Which process is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates?
a) Erosion
b) Convection in the mantle
c) Sedimentation
d) Volcanism - The formation of the Himalayas is a result of:
a) Volcanic activity
b) Continental collision
c) Sea-floor spreading
d) Earthquake activity - Which eon is characterized by the absence of life on Earth?
a) Hadean Eon
b) Archean Eon
c) Proterozoic Eon
d) Phanerozoic Eon - The theory that suggests the Earth and Moon formed together from the same material is:
a) Giant Impact Hypothesis
b) Capture Theory
c) Co-accretion Theory
d) Fission Theory - Which period is known as the “Age of Fishes”?
a) Cambrian
b) Devonian
c) Permian
d) Cretaceous - The Earth’s magnetic field protects it from:
a) Volcanic eruptions
b) Solar wind
c) Earthquakes
d) Tsunamis - Which of the following is a feature of the Earth’s continental crust?
a) Thinner than oceanic crust
b) Rich in silica and aluminum
c) Denser than oceanic crust
d) Primarily composed of iron - The first continents on Earth were formed during which eon?
a) Archean Eon
b) Hadean Eon
c) Proterozoic Eon
d) Phanerozoic Eon - Which gas became abundant in Earth’s atmosphere due to the Great Oxygenation Event?
a) Nitrogen
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Oxygen
d) Methane - The breakup of Pangaea began during which period?
a) Permian
b) Triassic
c) Jurassic
d) Cretaceous - Which of the following is NOT a source of Earth’s internal heat?
a) Radioactive decay
b) Residual heat from formation
c) Gravitational compression
d) Solar radiation - The Earth’s outer core is primarily in which state?
a) Solid
b) Liquid
c) Gas
d) Plasma - Which type of rock forms the majority of the Earth’s crust?
a) Sedimentary
b) Metamorphic
c) Igneous
d) Fossilized - The Cambrian Explosion refers to:
a) Formation of the Earth’s core
b) Rapid diversification of life forms
c) Breakup of Pangaea
d) Great Oxygenation Event - Which scientist is known as the “Father of Geology” for his contributions to understanding Earth’s history?
a) Alfred Wegener
b) Harry Hess
c) James Hutton
d) Charles Darwin
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Answer Key
- b) Nebular Hypothesis
- b) Immanuel Kant
- a) The Universe
- c) 4.6 billion years
- b) Gravitational collapse
- a) Methane
- b) The accumulation of particles to form planets
- c) Giant Impact Hypothesis
- c) Eons, eras, periods, and epochs
- a) Hadean Eon
- b) Radioactive decay
- c) Core
- b) Differentiation
- c) Oxygen
- b) Pangaea
- b) Alfred Wegener
- b) Fossil distribution across continents
- b) The movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates
- b) Mesozoic Era
- a) Archean Eon
- b) Mass extinction of dinosaurs
- b) Dynamo effect in the outer core
- d) Atmosphere
- b) Single-celled prokaryotes
- b) Earth’s early atmosphere
- c) Jurassic
- a) Oceans
- d) Oxygen
- c) Proterozoic Eon
- b) Archean Eon
- b) Harry Hess
- b) Tectonic plates
- c) Cenozoic Era
- a) Cambrian
- b) Iron and nickel
- b) Convection in the mantle
- b) Continental collision
- a) Hadean Eon
- c) Co-accretion Theory
- b) Devonian
- b) Solar wind
- b) Rich in silica and aluminum
- a) Archean Eon
- c) Oxygen
- b) Triassic
- d) Solar radiation
- b) Liquid
- c) Igneous
- b) Rapid diversification of life forms
- c) James Hutton
Download PDF – Practice Anywhere, Anytime!
After going through these 50 MCQs, you can download the PDF version of this quiz with answer keys for offline practice.
👉 Download the PDF Here – 50 MCQs on Origin and Evolution of the Earth (With Answers)
PDF Description:
This downloadable PDF includes all 50 multiple choice questions along with correct options. It’s perfect for last-minute revision or group study. Print it, annotate it, or revise on the go—absolutely free!
Tips for Aspirants – Why These GK Questions Matter
If you’re aiming for exams like UPSC, SSC, Railways, or other State Public Service Commissions, mastering Geography GK is a must. Questions from “The Origin and Evolution of the Earth” are frequently repeated in exams because they establish a scientific foundation for understanding the Earth’s structure, processes, and time-scale evolution.
🟢 These GK questions with answers help in:
- Strengthening your static GK base
- Quick revision of conceptual theories
- Differentiating between similar-sounding options
- Retaining chronological facts like geological periods and major events (Cambrian Explosion, Great Oxygenation, etc.)
Pro Tip: Revise these questions multiple times, focus on keywords (like eon, era, crust, tectonics), and try linking each theory to a scientist’s name—it really helps in elimination strategy!
Conclusion
We hope you found this collection of 50 MCQs on The Origin and Evolution of the Earth helpful in your exam preparation. Geography isn’t just about memorizing names and dates—it’s about understanding how our planet came to be and how it continues to change.
Don’t forget to bookmark this page and share the PDF with your study group. Keep practicing, and in Part 2, we’ll cover more questions on Earth’s structure, movements, and landforms.
👉 Stay tuned for Geography GK Part-2: Earth’s Interior, Rocks & Landforms MCQs
✍️ For more GK questions with answers, visit our dedicated 👉 GK Section.