CHAPTER 2: SHAPING OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE
50 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (MCQs)
1. What is the theory of plate tectonics primarily concerned with?
(A) Movement of the Earth’s crust
(B) Formation of clouds
(C) Rotation of the Moon
(D) Changes in ocean salinity
Answer: (A) Movement of the Earth’s crust
2. Who is associated with the theory of plate tectonics mentioned in the chapter?
(A) Isaac Newton
(B) W. J. Morgan
(C) Charles Darwin
(D) Albert Einstein
Answer: (B) W. J. Morgan
3. The Earth’s outermost layer is called the:
(A) Core
(B) Mantle
(C) Crust
(D) Asthenosphere
Answer: (C) Crust
4. Which layer lies directly beneath the Earth’s crust?
(A) Inner core
(B) Mantle
(C) Outer core
(D) Atmosphere
Answer: (B) Mantle
5. The lithosphere consists of:
(A) Crust and upper mantle
(B) Outer core and inner core
(C) Lower mantle only
(D) Crust and outer core
Answer: (A) Crust and upper mantle
6. Which layer beneath the lithosphere allows tectonic plates to move?
(A) Inner core
(B) Outer core
(C) Asthenosphere
(D) Continental crust
Answer: (C) Asthenosphere
7. Tectonic plates generally move at a rate of:
(A) Several kilometres per day
(B) A few centimetres per year
(C) Several metres per hour
(D) Hundreds of kilometres per year
Answer: (B) A few centimetres per year
8. What causes convection currents in the mantle?
(A) Heat from the Earth’s core
(B) Moonlight
(C) Ocean tides alone
(D) Solar eclipses
Answer: (A) Heat from the Earth’s core
9. At a convergent plate boundary, two plates:
(A) Move away from each other
(B) Remain permanently stationary
(C) Move towards each other
(D) Slide past each other without converging
Answer: (C) Move towards each other
10. The Himalayas were formed mainly due to:
(A) Wind erosion
(B) Collision of continental plates
(C) Deposition by ocean waves
(D) Glacial melting
Answer: (B) Collision of continental plates
11. What happens at a divergent plate boundary?
(A) Plates move towards each other
(B) Plates stop moving
(C) Plates slide past each other
(D) Plates move away from each other
Answer: (D) Plates move away from each other
12. Which landform is associated with divergent plate movement?
(A) Mid-ocean ridge
(B) Oxbow lake
(C) Sand dune
(D) River delta
Answer: (A) Mid-ocean ridge
13. At a transform boundary, tectonic plates:
(A) Always form fold mountains
(B) Slide past each other
(C) Move away from each other
(D) Produce new crust continuously
Answer: (B) Slide past each other
14. The San Andreas Fault is an example associated with:
(A) Divergent boundaries
(B) Convergent boundaries only
(C) Transform boundaries
(D) River erosion
Answer: (C) Transform boundaries
15. The region around the Pacific Ocean known for numerous earthquakes and volcanoes is called the:
(A) Ring of Fire
(B) Great Rift Valley
(C) Indo-Gangetic Plain
(D) Mid-Atlantic Plain
Answer: (A) Ring of Fire
16. Which of the following is a major tectonic plate?
(A) Sahara Plate
(B) Ganga Plate
(C) Himalayan Plate
(D) Eurasian Plate
Answer: (D) Eurasian Plate
17. A natural feature on the Earth’s surface formed by geological processes is called a:
(A) Mineral
(B) Landform
(C) Fossil
(D) Weather report
Answer: (B) Landform
18. Weathering is the process of:
(A) Transporting rocks from one place to another
(B) Depositing sediments at a river mouth
(C) Breaking rocks into smaller pieces without moving them away
(D) Melting the Earth’s inner core
Answer: (C) Breaking rocks into smaller pieces without moving them away
19. Which of the following is an example of physical weathering?
(A) Rocks breaking due to temperature changes
(B) Minerals changing through chemical reactions
(C) Soil being carried away by a river
(D) Sediments settling at a river mouth
Answer: (A) Rocks breaking due to temperature changes
20. Chemical weathering occurs when minerals in rocks react with:
(A) Moonlight only
(B) Sound waves
(C) Magnetic fields only
(D) Water, air or acids
Answer: (D) Water, air or acids
21. Biological weathering may occur when:
(A) Ocean currents deposit sand
(B) Plant roots grow into cracks in rocks
(C) A river carries away soil
(D) Wind transports dust
Answer: (B) Plant roots grow into cracks in rocks
22. Erosion differs from weathering because erosion involves:
(A) Only the heating of rocks
(B) No change in the Earth’s surface
(C) Movement of material from one place to another
(D) Only the formation of new minerals
Answer: (C) Movement of material from one place to another
23. Which of the following is an agent of erosion?
(A) Wind
(B) Water
(C) Ice
(D) All of these
Answer: (D) All of these
24. Which practice creates a series of level steps on a hillside to reduce soil erosion?
(A) Mining
(B) Terracing
(C) Deforestation
(D) Overgrazing
Answer: (B) Terracing
25. Earthen embankments built along contour lines to slow surface runoff are called:
(A) Deltas
(B) Moraines
(C) Bunds
(D) Meanders
Answer: (C) Bunds
26. Which system in Nagaland is mentioned in the chapter as an integrated farming approach for soil and water conservation?
(A) Zabo system
(B) Green Revolution
(C) Terrace farming of the Nile
(D) Canal system of Egypt
Answer: (A) Zabo system
27. Which river landform is commonly found in the upper course of a river?
(A) Delta
(B) Beach
(C) Sand bar
(D) V-shaped valley
Answer: (D) V-shaped valley
28. A waterfall commonly forms where:
(A) A river deposits sediments at its mouth
(B) A river flows over a steep drop
(C) Wind deposits sand
(D) A glacier melts into the sea
Answer: (B) A river flows over a steep drop
29. A meander is:
(A) A winding bend in a river
(B) A steep mountain peak
(C) A crescent-shaped sand dune
(D) A cave formed by groundwater
Answer: (A) A winding bend in a river
30. A delta is generally formed:
(A) At the source of a river
(B) On the top of a mountain
(C) At the mouth of a river where sediments are deposited
(D) In the middle of a desert
Answer: (C) At the mouth of a river where sediments are deposited
31. Which of the following is a major benefit of fertile delta regions?
(A) They prevent all floods
(B) They support agriculture and fishing
(C) They contain no settlements
(D) They stop river flow completely
Answer: (B) They support agriculture and fishing
32. Which Indian delta is highlighted in the chapter for exploration?
(A) Narmada Delta
(B) Tapi Delta
(C) Luni Delta
(D) Sundarbans Delta
Answer: (D) Sundarbans Delta
33. Beaches are mainly formed through the:
(A) Deposition of sediments by waves
(B) Collision of continental plates
(C) Movement of the Earth’s core
(D) Freezing of underground water
Answer: (A) Deposition of sediments by waves
34. A sea arch may form when:
(A) A river deposits sediments
(B) A glacier deposits a moraine
(C) Sea caves on opposite sides of a headland meet
(D) Wind carries sand across a plain
Answer: (C) Sea caves on opposite sides of a headland meet
35. Which landform is created by glacial erosion and has a characteristic U-shaped profile?
(A) V-shaped valley
(B) U-shaped valley
(C) Delta
(D) Meander
Answer: (B) U-shaped valley
36. Bowl-shaped depressions at the head of a glacier are called:
(A) Deltas
(B) Yardangs
(C) Beaches
(D) Cirques
Answer: (D) Cirques
37. Moraines are formed by the deposition of:
(A) Rocks, soil and debris carried by glaciers
(B) Sand deposited only by ocean waves
(C) Lava flowing from volcanoes
(D) Dust carried by strong winds only
Answer: (A) Rocks, soil and debris carried by glaciers
38. Which of the following is a wind-eroded landform?
(A) Delta
(B) Oxbow lake
(C) Yardang
(D) Waterfall
Answer: (C) Yardang
39. Crescent-shaped sand dunes formed where sand is limited and wind blows mainly from one direction are called:
(A) Star dunes
(B) Barchan dunes
(C) Longitudinal dunes
(D) Parabolic dunes
Answer: (B) Barchan dunes
40. Karst topography commonly develops in areas containing:
(A) Only loose desert sand
(B) Fresh volcanic ash
(C) Thick ice sheets
(D) Limestone or other soluble rocks
Answer: (D) Limestone or other soluble rocks
41. Stalactites are formations that hang from:
(A) The ceilings of caves
(B) River banks
(C) Mountain summits
(D) Sand dunes
Answer: (A) The ceilings of caves
42. Stalagmites generally grow:
(A) From the ceiling of a cave
(B) Along the ocean shoreline
(C) Upwards from the floor of a cave
(D) Along the sides of sand dunes
Answer: (C) Upwards from the floor of a cave
43. Which of the following is a major natural cause of landslides?
(A) Clear skies
(B) Heavy and continuous rainfall
(C) Low humidity alone
(D) Gentle slopes with stable ground
Answer: (B) Heavy and continuous rainfall
44. Which human activity can increase the risk of landslides?
(A) Planting trees
(B) Improving drainage
(C) Protecting forests
(D) Deforestation and unplanned construction on hillsides
Answer: (D) Deforestation and unplanned construction on hillsides
45. Avalanches involve the sudden movement of:
(A) Snow down a mountain slope
(B) Sand along a beach
(C) Water through a river delta
(D) Lava across a plain
Answer: (A) Snow down a mountain slope
46. What does GLOF stand for?
(A) General Land Overflow
(B) Ground Level Ocean Flow
(C) Glacial Lake Outburst Flood
(D) Glacier Level Outflow Formation
Answer: (C) Glacial Lake Outburst Flood
47. A Glacial Lake Outburst Flood may occur when:
(A) A river gradually deposits sediment
(B) A glacial lake’s natural dam collapses and releases stored water
(C) Wind deposits sand in a desert
(D) A beach forms along a coastline
Answer: (B) A glacial lake’s natural dam collapses and releases stored water
48. Dust storms are most common in areas where:
(A) Soil is always wet
(B) Dense forests cover the ground
(C) There is no wind
(D) Soil is dry, loose and easily lifted by strong winds
Answer: (D) Soil is dry, loose and easily lifted by strong winds
49. Which of the following can help reduce soil erosion?
(A) Contouring, bunding and terracing
(B) Deforestation
(C) Overgrazing
(D) Unplanned construction on slopes
Answer: (A) Contouring, bunding and terracing
50. Which statement best summarises the chapter?
(A) Only internal forces shape the Earth’s surface
(B) Landforms have no influence on human life
(C) Internal and external forces shape landforms and influence human life
(D) Weathering and erosion never change landscapes
Answer: (C) Internal and external forces shape landforms and influence human life
Class 9 | Social Science | Chapter 2 | MCQ
CHAPTER 2: SHAPING OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE
ASSERTION–REASON QUESTIONS (10 QUESTIONS)
Directions: Choose the correct option.
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
1. Assertion (A): The movement of tectonic plates plays an important role in shaping the Earth’s surface.
Reason (R): Plate movements contribute to the formation of mountains, valleys, ocean basins, volcanoes and earthquakes.
Answer: (A)
2. Assertion (A): At a divergent plate boundary, two tectonic plates move towards each other.
Reason (R): At a divergent boundary, magma may rise and form new crust.
Answer: (D)
3. Assertion (A): The Himalayas are examples of fold mountains.
Reason (R): Fold mountains can form when continental plates collide.
Answer: (A)
4. Assertion (A): Weathering involves the movement of broken rock material from one place to another.
Reason (R): Erosion involves the removal and transport of material from the Earth’s surface.
Answer: (D)
5. Assertion (A): Plant roots growing into cracks in rocks can contribute to weathering.
Reason (R): Biological processes can break rocks into smaller pieces.
Answer: (A)
6. Assertion (A): Terracing is a method of soil conservation on hillsides.
Reason (R): Terracing creates a series of level or gently sloping steps that help reduce soil erosion.
Answer: (A)
7. Assertion (A): A river delta generally forms near the source of a river.
Reason (R): A delta forms when a river deposits sediments near its mouth.
Answer: (D)
8. Assertion (A): Glaciers can form U-shaped valleys.
Reason (R): Glaciers erode and widen existing valleys as they move over the land.
Answer: (A)
9. Assertion (A): Deforestation and unplanned construction on hillsides can increase the risk of landslides.
Reason (R): These activities can disturb the natural stability of slopes.
Answer: (A)
10. Assertion (A): Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) can cause destructive flooding downstream.
Reason (R): A GLOF may occur when a glacial lake’s natural dam collapses and releases stored water suddenly.
Answer: (A)
