I think, {“ard” ie “earth” in Quran in ayats where it is created before skies} is soil, and “all in earth” is molecules, atoms, electrons etc. for example, ayat 2:29. and “rawasiya” in ayat 41:10, usually translated as mountains, i think, means physical laws in this ayat. There is also word “jibal” for mountains in Quran. “Rawasiya”‘s main meaning is “firmly set”. There is said something is made firmly set above earth. I have said these in twitter near half of hour ago: https://twitter.com/#!/qdinar/status/194158347971334144 .

And, I think, “who ask” in 41:10 are something like molecules that need electrons and food is electrons. ( https://twitter.com/#!/qdinar/status/194173537488093185 )

And in ayats where [it is said that] earth is spread after skies are created, earth means terrain, outer layer of planet Earth, which is firm and thin compared to whole planet Earth. This is at least in ayat 79:30. ( https://twitter.com/#!/qdinar/status/194158853196222465 )