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Home / IAS Preparation / Earth - Origin & Evolution NCERT Notes For UPSC

Earth - Origin & Evolution NCERT Notes For UPSC

Last Updated on May 25, 2021
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Earth’s Origin and Evolution NCERT notes is an important topic for the UPSC Civil Services exam. These notes will also be useful for other competitive exams like banking PO, SSC, state civil services exams and so on. This article talks about the various theories of the origin of Earth such as Nebular hypothesis,

Early Theories on Origin & Evolution of Earth:

Earth- Origin & Evolution UPSC Geography NCERT Notes Download PDF Here

Nebular hypothesis:

This theory was first proposed by Immanuel Kant in 1734, who was familiar with Swedenborg’s work. This theory was further developed in the year 1755. In this theory he said that gaseous clouds—nebulae, which slowly rotate, gradually collapse and flatten due to gravity and eventually form stars and planets. A similar theory was proposed in 1796 by Pierre-Simon Laplace. In theory Swedenborg’s statement which was put forward is a contracting and cooling proto solar cloud—the proto solar nebula. As with the contraction of nebula, it flattened and shed eight angular momentum rings of material. Further this nebula collapsed into the planet.

Whereas the Laplacian nebular model was dominated in the 19th century.

The main problem in nebular theory was angular momentum distribution between the Sun and planets. The fact that the planet has 99% of angular momentum is not explained by this theory. Because of this reason only, the theory of planet formation was largely abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century.

Also read: NCERT notes on Importance of Biodiversity

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Modern Theories 

One of the most common modern theories regarding the origin of the universe is “Big Bang Theory”. This theory is also called the expanding universe hypothesis. This evidence was given by Edwin Hubble in 1920. Under this theory it was said that with passage of time it was said that galaxies move further and further apart. This experiment was proved by doing an experiment on balloons.

Experiment To Prove Expanding Nature Of Universe

Take a balloon and mark different points on balloons like galaxies are there in the universe.

When you start inflating the balloon, the points marked on the balloon will start moving from each other. This distance between different points is because of the expansion process. The same process is with the universe also. As the passage of time distance between galaxies is increasing which shows the expansion process.

Origin Of The Universe 

The Big Bang theory explains the origin of the universe. This theory is also known as “the expanded universe hypothesis.” This theory has different stages of development, they are:

  • During the start of universe formation, all matter which formed the universe existed in one place in the form of a “tiny ball.” This tiny ball has infinite temperature and infinite density.
  • Further explosion of this “tiny ball” occurs suddenly. This process leads to an expansion process. This explosion took place 13.7 billion year ago.
  • After 300,000 years from the Big Bang, there was a drop in temperature to 4,500K (Kelvin) and gave rise to atomic matter.
  • The universe becomes transparent with passage of time.

You might also like: NCERT notes on Earth and the Solar system

Steady State Theory

The Big Bang Theory is considered as the standard model of cosmology along with that there are several more models also for the origin of the universe. One such model is “Steady State Model.” This model states that the general character of the universe is not changing over time; that means they are steady. The statement which put forward in this theory was that the universe looks the same no matter the viewpoint and that the universe has always looked like this; essentially, the theory states that the universe is uniform throughout both time and space.

One of the major advantages of this theory was its simple and aesthetic explanations of certain troublesome topics over other theories. Such as: since the universe is unchanging throughout time, the universe needs no convoluted explanation of its beginning. For decrease in density this theory states that would result from expansion, along with that it also claims new matter constantly must be created in order to maintain a constant density and static appearance as an end result.

Formation Of Planets

The formation of planets occur in different stages:

  • Inside nebula stars there are localised gas lumps.
  • Because of gravitational force within the lumps, a core of the gas cloud along with spinning discs of dust and gas are created.
  • After this step, condensation of gaseous clouds and the matter present over the core get changed into tiny rounded objects.
  • Formation of planetesimals ( developed small round objects ) occur by cohesion process.
  • By colliding with each other and sticking together by gravitational force they form larger bodies.
  • Further, these large numbers of small planetesimals aggregate to develop into a smaller number of large bodies called planets.

Check out NCERT notes Continental Drift

Evolution of the Earth

Initially Earth was a barren, rocky and hot object with a thin atmosphere of hydrogen and helium. So it was believed that there must have been some processes, which may have caused this change which are suitable for the existence of life. Changes which may be made are: from rocky, barren and hot earth to a beautiful planet with ample amount of water and conducive atmosphere.

Structure of the Earth is considered to be a layered one, be it from the outermost end of the atmosphere to the centre of the earth, the material that exists is not uniform.

You can check NCERT notes on geomorphic processes here.

Development Of Layer Structure Of The Earth

Evolution of Lithosphere:

  • Earlier there was a volatile state during its primordial stage.
  • Because of high-density temperature increases.
  • Because of this their occur separation between materials depending on their density Light material came outside and heavy material went inside the earth.
  • Further there occurs a cooling and condensation process to convert them into a solid known as Lithosphere.
  • During the time of formation of the moon, the earth again became hot.
  • Because of differentiation different layers formed.

    • You might also like:NCERT notes on Structure of the Earth

    Evolution of Hydrosphere and Atmosphere:

    Atmosphere process occurs in three stages, they are:

    • IN THE FIRST STAGE: This steps has hydrogen and helium and loss of primordial atmosphere due to solar winds
    • IN THE SECOND STAGE: In this stage gases are released from the earth’s interior such as Water vapor and other gases. There was water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide methane, ammonia and little free oxygen. Degassing is the process of outpouring the gases from the interior of the earth is called degassing.
    • IN THIRD STAGE: In this stage living organisms changed the composition of the atmosphere due to photosynthesis

    You might also like: NCERT notes on Structure of the Atmosphere

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Earth Origin And Evolution of The Earth NCERT Notes FAQ’S:

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FAQs

The history of Earth concerns the development of planet Earth from its formation to the present day. Nearly all branches of natural science have contributed to understanding of the main events of Earth's past, characterized by constant geological change and biological evolution.

Earth, along with the other planets, is believed to have been born 4.5 billion years ago as a solidified cloud of dust and gases left over from the creation of the Sun

They are: Katarchean-Archean, early Proterozoic, Late Proterozoic, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic-Cenozoic. Linear structures of the oldest stage combine features of development and structure similar to those typical of the rift and geosynclinal zones in the later periods of the Earth's history.

Darwin's theory of evolution, also called Darwinism, can be further divided into 5 parts: "evolution as such", common descent, gradualism, population speciation, and natural selection.

Human evolution is considered to be evolved from Homo sapiens, who were a culture-bearing and upright-walking species which lived on the ground and is believed to first evolved in Africa nearly about 315,000 years ago.
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