Question

Solid component of the earth consisting of soils, rocks and mountains is called:
(A) hydrosphere
(B) lithosphere
(C) atmosphere
(D) biosphere

Answer 1

Hint: The solid component of the earth consisting of soils, rocks and mountains are the part of the earth’s outermost layer which consists of the crust and the upper mantle.

Complete step by step solution:
Let us understand the meaning of hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere one by one.
The hydrosphere refers to the total mass of water present on, under and above the surface of a natural satellite, minor planet or planet. There is about “1386 million cubic kilometres” of water on the planet earth which includes groundwater, oceans, lakes and streams. Out of all these sources, freshwater is only about 2.5% while saltwater comprises 97.5% of the total amount of water found on earth. Out of the 2.5% freshwater, only 0.3% is easily accessible.
The term lithosphere comes from the Greek words” lithos” which means rocky and “sphaira” which means sphere. It is the outermost layer of a planet and shows rigid mechanical properties. The earth’s lithosphere is composed of the crust and the upper mantle. This lithosphere is further subdivided into tectonic plates.
The layer of gases surrounding our planet due to the earth’s gravitational force is called the atmosphere. The atmosphere exerts pressure on the surface of the earth which is very vital for the survival of all life forms. It also warms up the surface of the earth by the green-house effect and absorbs ultraviolet solar radiations.
The term biosphere comes from the Greek words “bios” which means life and “sphaira” which means sphere. It is a closed system which is also called the zone of life and is basically the sum of all the ecosystems on earth.
So, the solid component of the earth consisting of soils, rocks and mountains will be lithosphere.

Hence the correct answer is (B) lithosphere.

Note: Pedosphere is the uppermost part of the lithosphere. It reacts chemically with the atmosphere, lithosphere and the biosphere through the soil-forming process. The deeper part of the upper mantle of the earth is called the asthenosphere.