Solar System and Evolution of Earth: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Geography)
1 previous year UPSC Prelims question on Solar System and Evolution of Earth (Geography). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
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UPSC 2002Geography · Solar System and Evolution of Earth
Q1. Which one of the following statements is correct with reference to our solar system?
Explanation
Option (a) is correct: Earth has the highest average density among all planets in the Solar System. Earth has a metallic core rich in iron and nickel which makes it denser than gas giants like Jupiter or Saturn. Planet Density (g/cm3) Earth 5.51 Mercury 5.43 Venus 5.24 Mars 3.93 Jupiter 1.33 Saturn 0.69 Uranus 1.27 Neptune 1.64 Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:
The most abundant element in Earth’s composition is iron (Fe), not silicon (Si). Earth’s elemental composition (by mass):
Iron(35%)>Oxygen(30%)>Silicon(15%) The Sun actually contains about 99.8% of the total mass of the Solar System, not just 75%. The remaining 0.2% of the mass is distributed among planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. The diameter of the Sun is 109 times and not 190 times that of Earth. Actual ratio of Sun’s diameter to Earth’s diameter:
Ratio = 1,391,000(Sun) × 12,742(Earth) 109 times
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2002
(a) The earth is the densest of all the planets in our solar system
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Solar System and Evolution of Earth?
This page covers 1 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Solar System and Evolution of Earth (Geography), asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Solar System and Evolution of Earth?
Questions on Solar System and Evolution of Earth (Geography) are available for 12 years, from 1996 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
