Nature, earth, and environment trivia quiz questions.

What is the name given to the geological time period of 363-290 million years ago during which coal measures were formed?
A: Carboniferous.

Which is further north, the tropic of cancer or the tropic of Capricorn?
A: Tropic of Cancer.

What name is given to your angular distance on the Earth's surface relative to the equator?
A: Latitude.

Which landlocked Asian country is described as the world's 'highest rubbish dump' because of all the refuse left behind by expeditions?
A: Nepal.

What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
A: In erosion, particles of rock are transported away by wind or rain.

When and where was the Mount Pinatubo eruption?
A: In the Philippines, north of Manila, in 1991.

What name is given to the layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of the Earth?
A: Troposphere.

What name is given to the Earth's single continent, which existed 250 million years ago?
A: Pangaea.

What component of CFCs causes destruction of ozone?
A: Chlorine.

Why is lead in petrol dangerous?
A: It can affect the development of the nervous system, especially in children.

What does a barometer measure?
A: Atmospheric pressure.

What is the basic chemical composition of malachite?
A: Copper carbonate.

What is the term for a fold of the Earth's crust in which the layers of rock dip inwards?
A: Syncline.

Which clouds only occur above 10,000 meters?
A: Cirrus.

What is the name of the organization which controls whaling?
A: The International Whaling Commission or IWC.

How large is the area seated within the project BioSphere 2?
A: 3.5 acres.

What kind of a person might study a podzol?
A: A soil scientist.

Where might you find an aurora?
A: The polar skies.

Which gas in the atmosphere can be turned into fertilizer by some microbes?
A: Nitrogen.

Which layer of the Earth is believed to be formed of molten iron and nickel?
A: Outer core.

Which is the world's largest nature reserve?
A: Etosha Reserve in Namibia.

What is the collective noun for rhinoceri?
A: Crash.

What type of rock is formed by the rapid cooling of molten lava?
A: Obsidian.

What name is given to the rock formations used as a source of water?
A: Aquifers.

How long does it take for the Earth to spin once on its axis?
A: One day.

What is a very hard, naturally-occurring mineral, of which ruby and sapphire are gem quality varieties?
A: Corundum.

Which common mineral is used to make casts, moulds, blackboard chalk and plaster of Paris?
A: Gypsum.

Corundum is a mineral oxide of which metal?
A: Aluminum.