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Current scientific thinking is that mountain ranges are formed by large-scale movements in the earth's crust.

The Earth

Explore GCSE Chemistry The Earth: learn how the atmosphere formed, how it changed over time, and what evidence scientists use. Read the notes, then try the quiz below.

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Fascinating Fact:

The Earth’s early atmosphere was different from today and had much more carbon dioxide and water vapour. Oxygen levels increased later, largely due to photosynthesis by early organisms.

In GCSE Chemistry, the Earth topic explains how gases in the atmosphere have changed and why that matters for climate and life. You will compare today’s air with earlier atmospheres, learn about greenhouse gases, and interpret evidence such as ice cores and rock formations.

Key Terms

Atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.
Greenhouse gas: A gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide or methane.
Carbon cycle: The movement of carbon between the air, oceans, living things and rocks.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere in GCSE Chemistry?

The Earth’s atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with small amounts of argon, carbon dioxide and water vapour. The exact amount of water vapour varies with weather and temperature.

How do scientists know the Earth’s atmosphere has changed over time?

Scientists use evidence from rocks and fossils, and they analyse trapped gases in ice cores. These sources show changes in carbon dioxide and oxygen levels over long periods of time.

Why do greenhouse gases cause global temperatures to rise?

Greenhouse gases absorb and re-radiate infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface. This reduces heat escaping into space, so the average temperature increases when greenhouse gas levels rise.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Choose the correct order of layers within the earth starting from the centre.

Inner core, mantle, outer core, crust

Mantle, outer core, crust, inner core

Inner core, outer core, mantle, crust

Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

Studying earthquake waves has enabled scientists to learn a lot about what the Earth is like inside

2 .

The mantle...

is almost entirely solid but can flow

has an average thickness of 6km under oceans and 35km under continents

is mainly liquid, iron and nickel

is mainly solid, iron and nickel

Because the mantle can flow, convection currents occur

3 .

The crust...

is almost entirely solid but can flow

has an average thickness of 6km under oceans and 35km under continents

is mainly liquid, iron and nickel

is mainly solid, iron and nickel

It is broken into large plates that are moved around by the currents flowing in the mantle

4 .

Alfred Wegener put forward a theory to explain the change in positions of the continents. His theory was that...

the continents had drifted apart

the continents had been forced apart by earthquakes

volcanic eruptions had caused them to separate

the shrinking crust had forced them apart

He had spotted patterns that strongly suggested that continents once had been fitted together, like the pieces of a giant jigsaw

5 .

Why did other scientists not accept Wegener's theory at the time?

They thought that the earth's crust was too thick

They had no way to explain how the continents could move

They thought the earth was expanding

They thought that the continents moved too slowly

Wegener had overestimated how fast the continents were moving apart

6 .

Current scientific thinking is that mountain ranges are formed...

by the earth's crust expanding as it heats up

by earthquakes in the mantle

by large-scale movements in the earth's crust

by weathering and erosion of old mountain ranges

Mountains are seen to be forming where the Earth's plates are moving towards each other

7 .

It is now accepted that the interior of the earth remains hot because of...

friction between the moving tectonic plates

volcanic activity at the plate boundaries

friction between the core and the mantle

natural radioactive processes

Lord Kelvin did not know about this which is why his estimate of the age of the Earth was so far out

8 .

The Atlantic Ocean is about 5,000km wide. It is thought that is has been widening by about 2cm per year since it first formed. How many years has it taken to reach its present width?

1,000 million years

250 million years

25,000 years

1,000 years

Wegener thought that the European and American plates were moving apart at 250cm per year

9 .

What causes the tectonic plates to move?

Tidal waves

Strong ocean currents

Convection currents

Weight of the land on top of the plate

Convection currents occur within the mantle

10 .

There are volcanic islands in several places in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. They have probably been formed there because...

magma has erupted until it is above sea level

the tides have washed up a mound of sediment

there is debris from oil drilling

sediments have piled up along an oceanic ridge

Between 1963 and 1967, an eruption of an underwater volcano created a new island, just south of Iceland. It is called Surtsey and scientists have been studying it ever since

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Sustainable development

Author: Kate Gardiner (Chemistry Educator & GCSE Quiz Writer)

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