1. Earth’s shape is best described as:
b) Oblate spheroid (Flattened at poles, bulging at equator due to centrifugal force)
2. Earth’s equatorial radius is:
c) 6378 km
3. Earth’s polar radius is shorter than its equatorial radius because:
b) Centrifugal force is minimal at poles
4. The mean radius of Earth is:
b) 6371 km
5. Earth’s equatorial circumference is:
b) 40,075 km
6. The technique used to determine Earth’s age is:
d) All of the above
7. Who invented radioactive dating?
b) Ernst Rutherford (1905)
8. The oldest rocks are dated using:
b) Uranium-lead
9. Earth’s shape is caused by:
c) Combined effect of gravity and rotation
10. The equatorial bulge is due to:
b) Centrifugal force at the equator
11. The total number of latitudes is:
b) 181 (From 90°N to 90°S, including the Equator)
12. The Tropic of Cancer is located at:
a) 23.5°N
13. The Arctic Circle is at:
b) 66.5°N
14. The Antarctic Circle is at:
d) 66.5°S
15. The distance between two consecutive latitudes is approximately:
a) 111 km
16. The largest latitude is:
b) Equator
17. Latitudes help determine:
b) Climate zones
18. Sunlight does not fall beyond:
b) Polar Circles
19. The Tropic of Capricorn marks the:
b) Southernmost sun position
20. The Equator divides Earth into:
b) Northern and Southern Hemispheres
21. The latitude with the shortest circumference is:
c) North Pole
22. The term for 0° latitude is:
b) Equator
23. Which latitude receives direct sunlight during the December solstice?
b) Tropic of Capricorn
24. The latitude used to define the “Torrid Zone” is:
c) Tropics
25. The latitude 23.5°S is called:
b) Tropic of Capricorn
26. The Prime Meridian passes through:
b) Greenwich, London
27. The International Date Line is located at:
c) 180° longitude
28. Total number of longitudes is:
c) 360
29. 1° longitude at the equator is approximately:
a) 111 km
30. Longitudes are used to determine:
b) Time
31. All longitudes are:
b) Great Circles
32. The time difference per 15° longitude is:
a) 1 hour
33. Moving east from the Prime Meridian, time:
a) Increases
34. The country NOT on the Prime Meridian is:
c) India
35. The longitude with the maximum distance between two meridians is at:
b) Equator
36. The International Date Line is zig-zag to avoid:
b) Landmasses
37. The Prime Meridian and 180° longitude divide Earth into:
b) Eastern and Western Hemispheres
38. The longitude used as a reference for time zones is:
a) 0° (Prime Meridian)
39. The angular distance of a place east or west of the Prime Meridian is its:
b) Longitude
40. The 180° longitude is also called:
b) International Date Line
41. Earth’s rotation period is:
b) 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds
42. Earth rotates from:
b) West to East
43. The fastest rotational speed is at:
b) Equator (~1670 km/h)
44. Earth’s revolution period around the Sun is:
b) 365.25 days
45. Earth’s orbital speed is:
b) 29.8 km/s
46. Perihelion occurs on:
a) January 3
47. Aphelion occurs on:
b) July 4
48. Leap years exist to account for:
b) Extra 6 hours in Earth’s orbit
49. The planet with the fastest rotation is:
b) Jupiter (9.9 hours)
50. The planet with the slowest orbital speed is:
c) Neptune
51. Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on:
b) June 21
52. Vernal Equinox occurs on:
a) March 21
53. Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on:
d) December 22
54. During equinoxes, the Sun’s rays fall directly on:
c) Equator
55. The longest day in the Northern Hemisphere is on:
b) June 21
56. The term “Kark Sankranti” refers to:
a) Summer Solstice
57. The term “Makar Sankranti” refers to:
b) Winter Solstice
58. During the December Solstice, the South Pole experiences:
a) 24 hours of daylight
59. The Autumnal Equinox occurs on:
c) September 23
60. The tilt of Earth’s axis is responsible for:
b) Seasons
61. A solar eclipse occurs during:
b) New Moon
62. A lunar eclipse occurs during:
a) Full Moon
63. The Moon’s closest point to Earth is called:
b) Perigee
64. The Moon’s farthest point from Earth is called:
a) Apogee
65. A “Blood Moon” occurs during a:
b) Lunar eclipse
66. A Supermoon occurs when the Moon is at:
b) Perigee
67. The darkest part of the Moon’s shadow during an eclipse is the:
b) Umbra
68. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon:
c) Appears smaller than the Sun
69. A Blue Moon refers to:
b) The second full moon in a month
70. The Moon’s orbit is inclined to Earth’s orbital plane by:
a) 5°
71. Earth’s axial tilt is:
a) 23.5°
72. The angle between Earth’s axis and its orbital plane is:
b) 66.5°
73. If it is noon at 0° longitude, what time is it at 45°E?
c) 3:00 PM (45° ÷ 15° = 3 hours ahead)
74. A place located at 30°W longitude will experience sunset:
a) Earlier than Greenwich
75. India’s standard time is based on:
a) 82.5°E
76. The International Date Line deviates to include all of:
b) Fiji
77. Crossing the International Date Line westward results in:
b) Gaining a day
78. The term for 15° of longitude is:
a) Time zone
79. The Prime Meridian was established in:
a) 1884
80. Earth’s rotation causes:
b) Day and night