Question map
Regarding Earths composition, it would not be true to say which one of the following? I. The crust is composed of heterogenous rocks. II. The central nucleus is fluid. III. Below the crust the material is wholly solid,
Explanation
The question asks which statements are NOT true. Statement I is true as the crust consists of heterogeneous rocks, including granitic continental and basaltic oceanic crust [t2, t6]. Statement II is false because the Earth's core is not a single fluid nucleus; it consists of a liquid outer core and a solid inner core [c1, c5, t1]. Statement III is false because the material below the crust is not 'wholly solid'. While the mantle is largely solid rock, the asthenosphere (upper mantle) is partially molten and behaves plastically, allowing for fluid-like flow [t1, t2, t5]. Furthermore, the outer core is entirely liquid [c5, t4]. Since statements II and III are incorrect descriptions of Earth's composition, option 2 is the correct choice.
Sources
- [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 4: Earths Interior > 4.1. The Internal Structure of The Earth > p. 52
- [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Interior of the Earth > The Core > p. 23