Shaping of the Earth's Surface — Class 9 MCQs with Answers
Class 9 CBSE Social Science · Chapter 2
75 practice questions · 24 Easy · 26 Medium · 25 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 9 CBSE Social Science questions from Chapter 2, "Shaping of the Earth's Surface". You get 9 timed quizzes made from 75 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 24 Easy, 26 Medium and 25 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that set top scorers in CBSE Board exams apart.
To score well in "Shaping of the Earth's Surface", focus on dates, cause and effect, and reading maps and sources. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This trains you to stay accurate under time pressure, as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on Shaping of the Earth's Surface, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 9 Social Science mastery score. 14 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Key concepts: Shaping of the Earth's Surface (Class 9 Social Science)
The earth's surface is shaped from below by movements of its interior and from above by weathering and erosion. This chapter describes the earth's layered interior, the theory of plate tectonics, and the landforms produced by rivers, glaciers, wind and waves.
- Interior of the earth
- The earth is layered into crust, mantle and core, each differing in composition, temperature and physical state.
- Crust
- The thin outermost solid layer on which we live, thicker under continents than under oceans and broken into moving plates.
- Mantle
- The thick layer beneath the crust, where slow convection currents in semi-molten rock drive the movement of the plates above.
- Core
- The innermost layer, of iron and nickel, with a liquid outer part and a solid inner part; it generates the earth's magnetic field.
Shaping of the Earth's Surface — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 9 Social Science)
14 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. The other 61 are timed and scored when you sign in.
- Q1Easy
Which is the outermost layer of the Earth?
A.Outer coreB.MantleC.Inner coreD.Crust✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Crust
Explanation: The crust is the thin, solid outermost layer of the Earth on which we live.
- Q2Easy
Molten rock material found beneath the Earth's surface is called:
A.AshB.Magma✓ CorrectC.LavaD.SiltAnswer: B. Magma
Explanation: Magma is molten rock below the surface; when it erupts onto the surface it is called lava.
- Q3Easy
The breaking down of rocks on the spot, without any movement of the broken material, is called:
A.Weathering✓ CorrectB.ErosionC.DepositionD.TransportationAnswer: A. Weathering
Explanation: Weathering is the breakdown of rocks in place; erosion involves the removal of the weathered material.
- Q4Easy
Mountains formed by the folding of the Earth's crust are called:
A.Block mountainsB.Fold mountains✓ CorrectC.Residual mountainsD.Volcanic mountainsAnswer: B. Fold mountains
Explanation: Fold mountains, like the Himalayas, are formed when crustal rock layers are squeezed and folded upward.
- Q5Easy
The innermost layer of the Earth is called the:
A.Core✓ CorrectB.CrustC.LithosphereD.MantleAnswer: A. Core
Explanation: The core is the innermost layer of the Earth, made mainly of iron and nickel.
- Q6Easy
The point inside the Earth where an earthquake originates is called the:
A.Focus✓ CorrectB.FaultC.EpicentreD.CraterAnswer: A. Focus
Explanation: The focus (or hypocentre) is the point inside the Earth where earthquake energy is first released.
- Q7Medium
Why is the density of the Earth's core much higher than that of the crust?
A.The core contains a lot of waterB.The core is made of heavy metals like iron and nickel under great pressure✓ CorrectC.The core is made of light silica and aluminiumD.The core is the coldest part of the EarthAnswer: B. The core is made of heavy metals like iron and nickel under great pressure
Explanation: The core (NIFE) is composed of dense metals iron and nickel compressed under immense pressure, giving it high density.
- Q8Medium
When two continental plates collide and push against each other, the most likely result is the formation of:
A.Fold mountains✓ CorrectB.Flat coastal plainsC.Deep ocean trenchesD.Sand dunesAnswer: A. Fold mountains
Explanation: Collision of continental plates crumples the crust upward into fold mountains, as happened with the Himalayas.
- Q9Medium
In deserts, rocks often crack and break due to large differences between day and night temperatures. This is an example of:
A.Chemical weatheringB.Physical weathering✓ CorrectC.Biological weatheringD.DepositionAnswer: B. Physical weathering
Explanation: Repeated heating and cooling makes rocks expand and contract until they crack, a form of physical (mechanical) weathering.
- Q10Medium
Block mountains, such as those bounded by faults, are formed when:
A.Rock layers are folded upward by compressionB.Lava piles up around a volcanic ventC.Rivers deposit silt over many yearsD.Large blocks of crust are uplifted or lowered between faults✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Large blocks of crust are uplifted or lowered between faults
Explanation: Block mountains form when faults cause some blocks of crust to rise (horsts) while others sink (rifts).
- Q11Medium
Assertion (A): The lithosphere is made up of the Earth's crust alone. Reason (R): The asthenosphere, which lies beneath the lithosphere, is semi-molten and allows the tectonic plates to move.
A.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of AB.Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of AC.A is true but R is falseD.A is false but R is true✓ CorrectAnswer: D. A is false but R is true
Explanation: The lithosphere is the crust together with the upper part of the mantle, so the assertion is false. The reason is true: the semi-molten asthenosphere beneath the lithosphere is what allows the plates to move.
- Q12Hard
Scientists cannot dig down to study the Earth's core directly. Which line of evidence helps them understand the interior's structure and composition?
A.The behaviour of seismic waves passing through different layers✓ CorrectB.Photographs taken from satellitesC.The colour of surface rocksD.The depth of the deepest oceanAnswer: A. The behaviour of seismic waves passing through different layers
Explanation: Seismic waves change speed and direction as they pass through layers of different density and state, revealing the interior's structure.
- Q13Hard
The Indian Plate continues to push slowly into the Eurasian Plate. What does this best explain about the Himalayas?
A.The Himalayas were formed by river depositionB.The Himalayas are extinct volcanic mountainsC.The Himalayas are slowly sinking each yearD.The Himalayas are young fold mountains that are still rising✓ CorrectAnswer: D. The Himalayas are young fold mountains that are still rising
Explanation: Ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates keeps folding and uplifting the young Himalayas.
- Q14Hard
Read the case: 'Along one plate boundary, two tectonic plates grind sideways past each other. No new crust forms there and none is destroyed, yet the region is shaken by frequent earthquakes.' Which type of boundary is this, and which example fits it?
A.A divergent boundary, such as the Mid-Atlantic RidgeB.A convergent boundary, such as the HimalayaC.A transform boundary, such as the San Andreas Fault in the United States✓ CorrectD.A convergent boundary where an oceanic plate sinks beneath a continental plateAnswer: C. A transform boundary, such as the San Andreas Fault in the United States
Explanation: At a transform boundary plates slide past each other without creating or destroying crust, and this movement mainly causes earthquakes, as along the San Andreas Fault. A divergent boundary creates new crust (the Mid-Atlantic Ridge), while at a convergent boundary plates move towards each other, folding up mountains like the Himalaya or pushing an oceanic plate beneath a continental one.
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Start this chapter free →Shaping of the Earth's Surface — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 9 Social Science Shaping of the Earth's Surface?+
The earth's surface is shaped from below by movements of its interior and from above by weathering and erosion. This chapter describes the earth's layered interior, the theory of plate tectonics, and the landforms produced by rivers, glaciers, wind and waves. Key ideas include Interior of the earth, Crust, Mantle, Core.
What does Class 9 Social Science Chapter 2 (Shaping of the Earth's Surface) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 75 NCERT-based MCQs on "Shaping of the Earth's Surface": 24 Easy, 26 Medium and 25 Hard. Together they make 9 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "Shaping of the Earth's Surface" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "Shaping of the Earth's Surface" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year on a launch offer until 1 December 2026. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "Shaping of the Earth's Surface" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 9 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "Shaping of the Earth's Surface" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 14 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Shaping of the Earth's Surface" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from Shaping of the Earth's Surface (Class 9 Social Science)?+
The questions that matter most test Interior of the earth, Crust, Mantle, Core. This page shows 14 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations; all 75 questions on the chapter are available as timed quizzes once you sign in.
Is there an online quiz for Shaping of the Earth's Surface?+
Yes — Class 9 Social Science Shaping of the Earth's Surface has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.