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NYSED High School Regents Earth Science

Last updated 7 months ago
85 questions

Part A


Directions (1–35): For each statement or question, choose the word or expression that, of those given, best completes the statement or answers the question. Some questions may require the use of the 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
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Ceres, a dwarf planet, is located approximately 413 million kilometers from the Sun and is located between the orbits of

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Observations made by astronomers indicate that the light from most galaxies shows a

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Compared to the Jovian planets, the terrestrial planets are

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The apparent shift in the direction of the swing of a Foucault pendulum is a direct result of the

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Which motion causes some constellations to be visible in New York State only during winter nights and other constellations to be visible only during summer nights?

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Which set of New York State locations would have the greatest difference in the altitude of Polaris observed in the night sky?

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Which processes of the water cycle allow water vapor to enter the atmosphere?

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What is the dewpoint when the dry-bulb temperature is 19°C and the relative humidity is 73%?

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The diagram below shows a weather station model.


What is the air pressure, in millibars (mb), indicated by this station model?

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The photograph below was taken by aiming a camera at a portion of the night sky above Albany, New York, for a period of time to record the apparent star motion, resulting in star trails.


Which celestial object is located at the center of the star trails?

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The map below shows the locations of four time zones in the United States. Seattle, Washington, and Albany, New York, are labeled on the map.


If the time in Albany, New York, is 10 a.m., what time would it be in Seattle, Washington?

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Which diagram correctly matches the location of the Sun with the direction of the shadow cast by the stick?

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The diagrams below, labeled A, B, C, and D, represent fronts associated with a low pressure system (L).


Which sequence best represents the order in the development of an occluded front from a cold front and warm front?

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Which map shows the most likely direction of flow of the jet stream and the types of air masses found on either side?

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Which statement best explains why predictions for extreme weather events are more accurate today than in the past?

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In order to maximize the amount of insolation absorbed by a roof in a colder climate, roofing materials should be

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Uneven heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere, along with the Coriolis Effect, produces ocean currents with a general

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Which human activity contributes to the high levels of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere?

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What is the main reason that locations near oceans have smaller annual temperature ranges than locations inland at the same latitude?

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The division of geologic time into eras, periods, and epochs is based primarily on

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During which geologic time period were thick layers of evaporites deposited in New York State?

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Earth’s outer core is inferred to be a liquid because

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A seismograph detects an earthquake that occurred 5600 km away. The P-waves arrived at 10:36:00 a.m. What time did the earthquake occur?

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The Mariana Trench has formed because the Pacific Plate is

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Rock primarily composed of which mineral would be most resistant to physical weathering?

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Which agent of erosion produces parallel scratches and grooves in surface bedrock?

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The map below shows the prevailing wind direction over the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range in California. Letters A and B represent locations on Earth’s surface.


Compared to the climate at location A, the climate at location B generally is

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Which pie graph correctly shows the percentage of original radioactive 40K remaining in an igneous rock sample 2.6 x 109 years?

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The diagram below represents three rock outcrops at locations A, B, and C. No overturning of rock layers has occurred.


Which rock unit shown in the three outcrops is the oldest?

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The diagram below represents the magnetic polarity preserved by minerals within the bedrock of the oceanic crust near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Letters A, B, C, and D represent locations on the ocean-floor bedrock.


The oldest bedrock is found at location

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Oswego and Old Forge, located at similar latitudes in New York State, have very different landscapes. Which two factors are primarily responsible for these landscape differences?

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The topographic map below shows the location of Henry Creek. Points A, B, C, and represent locations on Earth’s surface.


At which location would the water in Henry Creek be flowing at the greatest rate?

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A metamorphic rock with banding is described as having a

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The hardness of a mineral is primarily a result of the mineral’s

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Two sedimentary rocks formed from organic sediments are

Part B–1


Answer all questions in this part.

Directions (36–50): For each statement or question, choose the word or expression that, of those given, best completes the statement or answers the question. Some questions may require the use of the 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
Base your answers to questions 36 through 38 on the passage below and on your knowledge of Earth science.

Bouvet Island

Bouvet Island is the most remote uninhabited island in the world. It is located above a geologic hot spot on the Southwest Indian Ridge. The closest landmass to the island is Antarctica, which is 1700 km away. Most of this volcanic island is currently covered by glaciers. Scientists inferred from drill core samples that the last massive lava flow that occurred on Bouvet Island was approximately 2000 years ago.
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The distance between Bouvet Island and Antarctica is approximately equal to the distance from Earth’s surface to the

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Which cross section best represents the mantle convection currents formed beneath the Bouvet hot spot?

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Which ocean current would most likely influence the climate of Bouvet Island?

Base your answers to questions 39 through 41 on the cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The cross section represents a weather front over New York State. A continental polar (cP) air mass is moving into the region now occupied by a maritime tropical (mT) air mass. The arrow shows the direction the cP air mass is moving. Point A is located within the cloud.

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Which type of frontal boundary is represented?

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The relative humidity within the cloud at point A is most likely

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Which statement best describes why clouds are forming along the frontal boundary?

Base your answers to questions 42 through 44 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents five maps, labeled A, B, C, D, and E, and the inferred position and shape of the continents on Earth during five periods of geologic time.

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Between 251 million years ago and 1.8 million years ago, India generally moved

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Pangaea is represented on map

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Which group of organisms became extinct during the time represented on map A?

Base your answers to questions 45 through 47 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The photograph shows the Purcell Sill, located in Glacier National Park in Montana. The Purcell Sill is composed of the igneous rock diorite and cuts through Precambrian-age limestone bedrock. Zones of contact metamorphism are indicated.

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The rock that formed in the zones of contact metamorphism in the limestone is

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Which minerals are most likely found together in a sample of diorite taken from Purcell Sill?

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The texture of the diorite found in the sill is best described as

Base your answers to questions 48 through 50 on the map below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The map shows a meandering stream entering the ocean. Four locations, labeled A, B, C, and D, are indicated on the map. Each location has a cross-section line labeled x-y.

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The cross section below represents the shape of the stream channel between x and y at one location along the stream.


Which location is best represented by this cross section?

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The velocity at a certain location in this stream was measured to be 100 centimeters per second. What size sediment particles will be transported at this location?

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What is the name of the depositional feature located at the end of the stream where it enters the ocean?

Part B–2


Directions (51–65): Record your answers in the spaces provided in your answer booklet. Some questions may require the use of the 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
Base your answers to questions 51 through 53 on the passage below and on your knowledge of Earth science.

Evolution of Stars

A star forms from a huge dust and gas cloud called a nebula. Gravitational forces cause the cloud to contract. As matter in the cloud draws closer together, temperature and pressure increase, causing hydrogen to combine, forming helium in a nuclear process. The energy released by this process is eventually radiated into space in the form of electromagnetic energy, some of which can be seen by humans. A star about the size of our Sun takes about 10 billion years to go through its life cycle. It begins with the formation of a main sequence star, and then goes through a giant star stage. Finally, in its late stage of existence, it becomes a white dwarf. Stars much more massive than our Sun undergo explosions called supernovas.
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Identify the nuclear process that produces energy in stars.

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Identify one star that was formerly a Sun-sized star, but is now in its late stage of existence.

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Barnard’s Star and Betelgeuse are stars having similar color and surface temperature. Explain why Betelgeuse will most likely undergo a supernova but Barnard’s Star will not.

Base your answers to questions 54 through 56 on the passage below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The passage describes the formation of the Albany Pine Bush.

The Albany Pine Bush

Approximately 6,000 acres near Albany, New York, is known as the Albany Pine Bush. Its history began about 15,000 years ago, when a one-mile-thick glacier melted at the end of the last ice age, forming a giant lake that was over 190 miles long. Scientists call this lake Glacial Lake Albany. The lake eventually drained and the sandy deposits on the lake floor were blown into sand dunes. The sandy dunes were gradually covered by plants.
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Identify the geologic period when Glacial Lake Albany was first formed.

Answer: _______ Period
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Identify the entire range of sand sizes covering the lake floor when Glacial Lake Albany drained.

_______ cm to _______ cm
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Identify the agent of erosion that formed the sand dunes from the sediments left on the lake floor after Glacial Lake Albany drained.

Base your answers to questions 57 through 59 on the graph below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The graph shows the change in the heights of tides at a coastal location for two days.

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Determine the height of the tide at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

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Predict the time of the next high tide on Monday. Include a.m. or p.m. in your answer.

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Identify the force that causes tides.

Base your answers to questions 60 and 61 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents the effect that cloud thickness has on incoming solar radiation reaching Earth and outgoing radiation. Thickness of arrows represents relative amount of radiation.

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Describe how the thickness of cloud cover at a particular location affects the relative amount of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface.

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State the name of the temperature zone of Earth’s atmosphere where most clouds form.

Base your answers to questions 62 through 65 on the diagram in question 62 and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents a view of Earth as seen from space on the first day of a certain season. Some latitudes have been labeled.
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On the diagram, shade the portion of Earth that represents nighttime.

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Identify the season that is beginning in the northern hemisphere when Earth is in this position.

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State the number of daylight hours that an observer at the equator would experience on this day.

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Compared to current summer and winter temperatures in New York State, describe how New York State’s summer and winter temperatures would change if Earth’s rotational axis were tilted at 33.5° instead of 23.5°.

Summer temperatures: _______
Winter temperatures: _______

Part C


Directions (66–85): Record your answers in the spaces provided in your answer booklet. Some questions may require the use of the 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
Base your answers to questions 66 through 68 on the passage and map below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The map shows a portion of northeastern New York State and northwestern Vermont.

Wollastonite — A Versatile Industrial Mineral

Wollastonite is a mineral composed of calcium, silicon, and oxygen (CaSiO3). The formation of wollastonite can occur when a large area of silica-rich rock and limestone is deeply buried and recrystallized at temperatures from 400°C to 450°C.

The Lewis Deposit, located in Willsboro, New York, contains approximately 60% wollastonite. Since the early 1980s wollastonite has been used as a replacement for asbestos in products such as insulating boards and panels, roofing tiles, and brakes. Wollastonite is also used in ceramic glaze mixes.


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Identify the process that recrystallizes silica-rich rock and limestone into wollastonite using heat and pressure.

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Identify one mineral, other than wollastonite, that is used in ceramics.

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Identify the New York State landscape region in which Plattsburgh, New York, is located.

Base your answers to questions 69 and 70 on the diagram and table below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents the laboratory materials used for investigations of how bead diameter affects infiltration, porosity, and water retention. Each column was filled to the same level with uniform-sized, dry, spherical beads. Water was added to fill each column to the top of the beads. The clamps were then opened to allow the water to drain into the beakers beneath each column. The time it took the water to drain and the amount of water left in each column was calculated. The table shows the results of the investigation.


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On the grid, construct a line graph by plotting the infiltration rates for the five bead diameters listed in the table. Connect the five plots with a line.

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State the relationship between increasing bead size and the amount of water retention in the column.

Base your answers to questions 71 and 72 on the bathymetric map below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The map shows the depth of White Lake located in Sullivan County, New York. Isoline values indicate water depth in feet. The surface of White Lake is 1323 feet above sea level. Points A and B represent locations on the shoreline of White Lake. Point C represents a location on the bottom of the lake.

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On the grid, construct a profile of the depth of White Lake from point A to point B. Plot each point where an isoline showing depth is crossed by line AB. Points A and B have been plotted on the graph. Connect the plots with a line, starting at A and ending at B, to complete the profile.

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State one possible water depth at point C.

Base your answers to questions 73 through 75 on the data table below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The data table lists the distance from Earth to the Moon and the percentage of the lighted portion of the Moon visible from Earth each day for a 9-day period.

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On the diagram, draw an X on the Moon’s orbit to show the approximate position of the Moon on day 5.

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State the number of days (d) it takes the Moon to complete one cycle of phases from one full moon to the next full moon.

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Explain how the data provide evidence that the Moon has an elliptical orbit around Earth.

Base your answers to questions 76 through 79 on the Surface Air Temperature map in question 76, the two Extreme Storms and Winds maps below, and on your knowledge of Earth science. The Surface Air Temperature map shows the surface air temperatures, recorded in degrees Fahrenheit (°F), across the United States at 6 p.m. on October 25, 2010. The 40°F isotherm is drawn. The shaded portions on the two Extreme Storms and Winds maps show the areas where extreme storms and winds (including tornadoes) were forecasted on October 25, 2010 and October 26, 2010. Letters W, X, Y, and Z represent the same surface locations on all maps.

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On the map, draw the 70°F isotherm. Extend the line to the edges of the United States.

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The lowest temperatures on the Surface Air Temperature map are inside the 40°F isotherm. This region is part of the Rocky Mountains. Identify the climate factor that accounts for the low surface air temperatures in this mountain region.

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Identify the evidence on the October 25 Extreme Storms and Winds map that indicates location Z has a dewpoint that is close to the air temperature.

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Other than stocking up on food and water, describe two emergency actions that should be taken in order to prevent loss of life and property in the regions where damaging storms and possible tornadoes were forecast on October 25 and 26.

Base your answers to questions 80 through 82 on the cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth science. Letters A through J represent different rock units. Letter X represents a fault line, and letter Y represents an unconformity. The rock units have not been overturned.

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Describe one piece of evidence shown in the diagram that leads to the inference that crustal movement occurred in this region.

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Place the letters of the following rock units and the fault in order from oldest to youngest.


_______\rightarrow _______\rightarrow _______\rightarrow _______
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Rock unit G formed during the late Cambrian period, and Rock unit J formed during the early Ordovician period. Identify the name of one New York State index fossil that could possibly be found in Rock unit H.

Base your answers to questions 83 through 85 on the data table and map below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The data table shows the location, diameter, and age of some impact craters on Earth. The latitude and longitude of the Sierra Madera, Texas, crater has been left blank. The location of the Sierra Madera crater is indicated on the map of Texas.


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Determine the latitude and longitude, to the nearest whole degree, of the Sierra Madera crater. Include units and compass directions in your answer.

Latitude: _______
Longitude: _______
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State the name of the crater that has a diameter approximately equal to the straight line distance, in kilometers, between Ithaca, New York and Slide Mountain, New York.

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Identify one type of solar system object that could have impacted Earth’s surface to create any of these craters.