282 Ways to Pass the Earth Science Regents

Name______KEY______

282 WAYS TO PASS THE EARTH SCIENCE REGENTS

Observations are facts derived from the environment by using the five senses. Ex: The book is yellowish.
In inferences are conclusions or predictions based on your observations. Ex: The rock is old.
Your senses can be extended (made more precise) by using instruments. Ex: The book is 22cm.
Classification is organizing observations in a meaningful way. Ex: The book is science fiction.
Mass- the amount of ___matter______in an object.
Volume- the amount of ____space______an object occupies.
The ___density_____ of any given substance will remain the same regardless of the size, shape, or mass of the sample.
As the pressure increases, the density of a substance will ___increase______.
As the temperature increases, the density ___decrease______.
Water expands when it __freezes______causing density to ____decrease_______.
Most changes are ___cyclic______, which means that they are predictable (repeating pattern).
Dynamic Equilibrium means __changes_____ are occurring but overall they ___balance______out.
Most substances are densest as a ___solid______.
Water is densest at __4___ degrees Celsius, when it is a ___liquid______.
Objects more dense than water _____sink______, less dense will ___float______.
Because the Earth bulges slightly at the equator and is slightly flattened at the poles it is called an ___oblate______spheroid______.
The equatorial diameter is ___greater______than the polar diameter.
A person would weigh slightly _ more___ at the poles because he/she is __closer______to the center of the Earth.
The best model of the Earth’s shape is a __Perfect sphere (ping-pong ball)______.
Evidence for a round earth: photos from space (best evidence), ships disappear slowly over the horizon, Earth’s shadow on the moon is curved (lunar eclipse), Polaris = latitude, gravity measurements are difference.
The altitude of Polaris (North Star) above the horizon is the same as the observer’s __latitude______.
Polaris is located above the Earth’s ___axis______of ______rotation______.
You can only see Polaris in the ___northern ______hemisphere –always have to look __north_____ to see Polaris.
As a persons latitude increases, the altitude of Polaris ___increases______.
If you’re at 90°N, then Polaris is _90◦__ above the horizon- If you are at 0° then Polaris is _0_° .
___Latitude____ Lines run left to right (horizontal) but measures distances __north______and ___south_____ of the equator.
____Longitude______Lines run up and down (vertically) but measure east and west of the Prime Meridian.
Approximate latitude of NY is _41___ to 45°N, 72 to __79__°W.
Longitude is based on earth’s rotation of 15°/hr and the sun’s apparent motion.
If you travel west time becomes less, if you travel east, time will increase!
The closer the isolines (contour, isobar, isotherm) the ____greater (steeper)______the slope (gradient).
Contour lines always bend at a stream forming a “V” that points in the opposite direction of flow.
Contour Interval – the elevation increase between two contour lines, Ocean/ sea level = 0.
Streams always flow from ___high______to___low______elevation.
Hydrosphere = water (oceans) Lithosphere = Crust (continental/oceanic) Atmosphere = Layers of gasses.
Apparent diameter of objects (sun, moon) gets larger when _____closer______to earth.
The red shift (Doppler Effect) and cosmic background radiation is evidence for the Big Bang Theory
Light from distant galaxies show a shift to the ___red______end of the visible spectrum, which is evidence that the universe is ____expanding______.

Our Solar System

Our sun is a medium size (Main Sequence) star in the galaxy called the _Milky Way______.
Most stars spend a majority of their life as an average ___main sequence___ star. P. 15
Our sun will eventually swell up to be a red giant then shrink down into a white dwarf.
Star get their energy from __nuclear fusion_(4 hydrogen into 1 helium)
The theory of the formation of the universe is called the __Big Bang_____ theory.
The inner Terrestrial (rocky) planets are composed of ____solid rock____and have ____high______average density.
The outer Jovian (gaseous) planets are composed of ___gas______and have ____low_____ average density.
Stars like the Sun appear to move at __15°____ per hour because the earth ____rotates_____ 15 degrees per hour.
The only star that does not appear to move is _____Polaris______because it is located directly above the Earth’s _axis______of____rotation______.
The earth _____rotates______from west to east (24 hours) at a rate of _15° __ degrees per hour.“Right Hand Rule”
The earth ______revolves______around the sun (365 1/4) days.)
All celestial objects appear to move from ___east_____ to ___west__.
The moon has phases because it ____revolves___ around the __earth___.
Eclipses only occur at the ____new______and full moon phases.
A lunar eclipse is when the ____full moon_____ is blocked out.
A solar eclipse is when the ____sunlight______is blocked out.
Earth’s seasons are caused by 1. ____Earth’s revolution around sun____

2.______Tilt ___ of the Earth’s Axis

3.______Parallelism______of the Earth’s Axis

56. Evidence of Earth’s revolution around the Sun is the changing ____seasons___ and _____constellations ______throughout the year,

57. Summer solstice is on ____June 21______.

The ___northern______hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun.
The direct (perpendicular) rays of the sun hit the Tropic of ___Cancer______.
Sun rise is __north_____ of east, and sunset is ___north_____ of the west.

58. Winter solstice is on __December 21______.

The _southern______hemisphere is tilted towards the sun.
The direct (perpendicular) rays of the sun hit the Tropic of ___Capricorn___.
Sun rise is ___south____ of east, and sunset is ___south_____ of west.

59. Equinoxes are ___March 21_____ and __September 23______.

The direct (perpendicular) rays hit the ______equator______.
The sun rise_____due east____ and sets ___due west_ on the equinoxes.

60. Duration of insulation = ___12_____hours on the equinox.

61. The three important locations that receive the direct/perpendicular rays of the sun are:
_____Tropic of Cancer 23.5 N______,____Equator 0°__,______Tropic of Capricorn 23.5 S°____

62. Greatest angle of insolation/perpendicular/vertical rays of the Sun (overhead sun) can only occur

between __23.5° _____°N & ___23.5° ____°S.

The maximum duration of insolation is __24____ hrs.
The greatest duration of insolation can only occur at __90___°N or ___90__°S
The largest angle of insolation is __90____ degrees.
As the sun’s angle of insolation increases, the sun’s intensity ____increases______.
The equator always has __12____ hours of daylight.
The higher the altitude of the sun, the ______shorter______the shadow.
Shadows are the longest at ___sunrise/sunset_____ (time of day). And the shortest at ___noon______.
Noon shadows are the shortest in NY on ____June 21____(date). Longest on __December 21_____(date)
In NY, an observer must always look ___south_____ to see the sun at noon.
The sun is ____never_____ at an observer’s zenith (90 degrees) in NY.
Winds, ocean currents and anything else moving across Earth are deflected (curve) because of the ___Coriolis Effect.

Foucault’s pendulum and Coriolis effect is evidence that the Earth ____Rotates.
Changing Seasons and Constellations is evidence that the Earth _____Revolves.
The Earth is closer to the sun during the ____winter______season.
Perihelion – earth is ___closest______to the sun.
Aphelion – earth is ____farthest away______to the sun.
The closer a planet is to the sun, the ______faster____ its velocity as its orbits.
The closer a planet is to the sun, the ______stronger______the gravitational attraction.
Gravity is greatest when the mass of objects are _____large____ and the distance between them is ____close______.
Tides are caused by the _____moon’s_____ gravitational attraction.
There are ____2____ high tides, and ___2______low tides per day (12.5 hours apart)- a cyclic pattern.
Our solar system is located ¾ the way down one of the spiral arms of our galaxy- the ____Milky Way____.
A _____galaxy______is a cluster of 100-200 billion stars.
The following is in _____decreasing_____ size and age order: Universe, Galaxy, Solar system, Earth.
_____Geocentric______model is earth centered. Everything revolves around the earth.
______Heliocentric______model is sun centered. Planets revolve around the sun.
All planets orbit in ______elliptical______(shaped) orbits with the _____sun______at one foci.
The farther from the Sun the _____slower______the orbital path.
As the distance between foci increases, the eccentricity ______increases (closer to 1)_____.
The more ___circular_____ the orbit the less eccentric/elliptical it is.
The closer the eccentricity is to 0 the more ____circular______, the closer it is to 1 the more ___eccentric______the orbit is.
The earth’s orbit is extremely round, almost perfect, but it is slightly elliptical, see ESRT pg 15.
The color _____black_____ absorbs, while _____white____ reflects energy.
Smooth/shiny surfaces ______reflect_ more radiation, and rough dull surfaces _____absorb_____more radiation.
______Conduction______transfers energy by direct contact (molecules collide).

Convection- heat transfers due to ____density_____ differences. (gases and liquids.)
Hot air and liquids__expand__ because they are _less__ dense and __rise____.
When air is heated it becomes ______less_____ dense and ______rises______.
Radiation – transfer of energy in the form of electromagnetic ___waves______.
Electromagnetic energy is categorized based on ____wavelength___. (pg 14 ESRT)
The portion of the sun’s electromagnetic energy that reaches the Earth’s surface with the maximum intensity is ______visible light______.
The ozone is found in the ____stratosphere____ layer of the atmosphere and absorbs harmful rays known as __ultra violet______.
When electromagnetic waves are bent due to density differences it’s called ______refraction_____.
As the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere increases, the amount of the insolation reaching the earth ______decreases_____.
Earth received mainly short wave ____visible____ during the day and later reradiates this energy back into space as _____infrared energy ______waves (heat energy).
Infrared heat energy is absorbed by two gases ____Carbon dioxide__ and ____water vapor__ (green house gasses).
As the amount of Carbon dioxide increase, the temperature of the earth ______increases______.
Objects radiate the most amount of energy when their temperatures are ______high______.
Energy moves from the source to sink, or from ___high______to ____low______.
Most of the energy that drives surface process come from the ___sun______.
____Kinetic______energy is energy of motion.
_____Potential______energy is stored energy or “energy of position”.
There is NO ____temperature_____ change during a phase change.
Use the ESRT to see which process release energy and which processes gain energy (front page.)
____Infrared______is heat energy that is re-radiated by the earth.
Land heats up __quicker______than liquid water because it has a __lower______specific heat.
The higher the specific heat the ____slower______it takes to heat up and cool down.
Good absorbers of radiation are also good _____radiators______.
The hottest time of the year is ___July______(approx date), which is after the angle of insolation (6/21)
Hottest part of the day is ____2-3 o’clock_____(approx time) which is after the greatest angle of insolation (noon).
As altitude increases, air pressure _____decreases______.
Air Pressure or Barometric Pressure is caused by weight of the air (Barometer measures Air Pressure.)
As altitude increases, the amount of water vapor ___decreases______.
The greatest amount of water vapor is found in the ___troposphere______(layer of atmosphere.)
The greatest atmospheric pressure occurs in the ___troposphere______(layer of the atmosphere.)
As temperature increases, density of air ____decreases______.
As temperature increases, air pressure ______decreases______.
As moisture content increases (humidity), air pressure ___decreases______.
AS temperature increases, the moisture holding capacity of the air ___increases______.
High pressure systems are associated with __fair______weather conditions.
Low pressure systems are associated with __rainy______weather conditions.
In Low pressure systems winds blow ___inward__ and __counterclockwise______(L.I.C.C.)
In high pressure systems winds blow ___outward______and _____clockwise______(H.O.C.)
At the center of a low pressure center, air __rises______and ___converges______(Low-CO)
At the center of a high pressure center air ___sinks______and ___diverges______(High-DI)
The highest pressure is ___cool____ and ___dry______. Air pressure is lowest when it is ___warm ___and ______wet____.
Winds blow due to difference in ______air pressure______.
The more closely spaced the isobars the _____faster______the wind speed.
Wind blows from regions of _____high______to _____low______pressure.
Winds are named for the direction they are ______coming FROM______.
Weather patterns (in the U.S.) move from ______west_____ to ______east______, because we are located in the ______prevailing westerlies_____ planetary wind belt.
Cold Front ( Warm Front
Fronts are associated with _____low______pressure. Clouds and precipitation.
A front is a boundary between 2 air masses.
When warm air rises, it ______expands___, ______cools____ and ______condenses_____. (R.E.C.C.)
In order for clouds to form, the air needs to be _____saturated____ and ___condensation nuclei_____ must be available.
The closer the air temperature is to the dew point the ______higher______the relative humidity and the greater the chance for ______precipitation______.
Air mass characteristics (temp. moisture) are determined by the ______source region______.
The mT air mass that affect NY’s weather is ______moist______and ______warm_____ and forms over the ______Gulf of Mexico_____.
cP air masses are ______dry______and _____cold____ and form over _____Central Canada______.
Relative humidity – a percentage of the amount of moisture in the air to the maximum amount it can hold.
Saturation – When the air is holding the ______maximum_____ amount of water it can hold.
Dew Point temperature – Temperature at which ______condensation______occurs (air is saturated.)
When the air temperature equals the dew point temperature relative humidity is _____mass______.

When the air temperature approaches the dew point temperature relative humidity is ____100%______.
Precipitation ______decreases_____ pollution and ______increases___ atmospheric transparency.
Dry, hot and windy conditions _____increase______the rate of evaporation.
Tornadoes – short lived (a minute or less) small in size- get in the basement!
Hurricanes – Low Pressure systems- last days, very large, high winds, - evacuate – stock pile food/ water, batteries, etc.

Hurricanes get their energy from warm ocean water mT air mass, die over land, know hurricane track.
The rate of evaporation increases when surface area ______increases______.
As particle size increases, permeability ______increases______.
Porosity (percentage of empty pore spaces) does not depend on ______particle size______.
______Smallest______particles retain the most water after infiltration.
As the slope of the land increases, runoff ______increases______.
Runoff ______increases______when a surface is impermeable, saturated, steeply sloped.
In order for infiltration to occur the ground needs to be ______unsaturated____ and ______permeable______.
If the rate of precipitation is greater than the rate of infiltration, ______runoff______will occur.
Capillarity (movement of water upward against gravity) increases when particle size ______decreases____.
Transpiration- process by which living plants release water vapor to atmosphere.
The amount of Ep (potential evapotranspiration) depends on _____temperature______.
Large bodies of water ______moderates______temperatures.
During the day there is a ______sea______breeze. At night a ______land____ breeze develops.
Continental climates = ____large___ temperature range. Cooler____winters______and warmer __summers___.
Marine climates = _____small____ temperature range. Cooler ______summers and warmer ____winters____.
The windward side of a mountain is ____cool______and ____wet___. The leeward side is
____warm_____ and ______dry_____. (Label the diagram, what happens to the air as it rises and sinks on either side of the mountain?)
Ocean currents are caused by _____wind______., and are deflected due to the ___Coriolis Effect____
As latitude increases, temperature ______decreases______.
As elevation increases, temperature ______decreases______.
______Gravity______is the force behind all erosion.
______Running Water______is the primary agent of erosion.
Stream velocity depends on ______gradient______and ______volume (discharge)______.
The size of the particle transported depends on the stream’s _____velocity______.
Heavy-dense-round particles settle ______first______in water.
Graded bedding (vertical sorting) _____large______sediments are on the bottom.
Glacial sediments are ______unsorted______, scratched and form ______“U”______shaped valleys.
Stream deposits are ______sorted______, round, and form _____“V”______shaped valleys.
Rocks are classified based on ______origin (how they are formed)______.
Igneous rocks form from the ____solidification______(crystallization) of molten material (lava or magma.)
Igneous exhibit intergrown/interlocking mineral crystals.
Vesicular texture – gas pockets (porous). An example would be the rock ______Pumice, Scoria, etc______.
If an igneous rock cools extremely fast, the rock will exhibit a ______glassy_____ texture.
When an igneous rock cools fast, ______small______crystals form.
When an igneous rock cools slowly, ______large______crystals form.
Intrusive = ______below______ground.
Extrusive = ______above______ground.
Mafic rocks are ____dark colored______with a ______high______density.
Felsic rocks are ______light colored______with a ______low______density.
Clastic sedimentary rocks are formed by the ______compaction____ and ______cementation____ of sediments.
Bioclastic – form from the compaction and cementation of _____organic matter______.
Crystalline sedimentary rocks form from the ______evaporation____ of water and ______precipitation______of dissolved mineral from a solution.
Only rock type to contain fossils - ______sedimentary______.
Metamorphic rocks from pre-existing rocks that have been altered due ___heat____ and/or___pressure______.
_____Metamorphic______rocks may be foliated (banding.)
Key words for Metamorphic rocks are ; foliation, re-crystallize, distorted structure.
Mineral properties such as cleavage and hardness depend on the ______internal arrangement____ of the molecules.
The most common mineral is _____quartz______(composed of silicon and oxygen.)
Cleavage- the tendency for a mineral to break along ______smooth__,______flat____ surfaces.
Hardness – the ______resistance______to being ______scratched_____.
Weathering- Break down of rocks at the earth’s surface into ______sediments____.
Sediments – broke down pieces of rock.
Soil- mixture of weathered rock (sediments) and organic remains that cover bedrock.
Chemical weathering dominates in _____warm______and______wet_____ climates.
Physical weathering dominates in _____cold____ and ____wet______climates. (Good For Frost Wedging)
As the particle size decreases, the rate of weathering will ______increases______.
When particles are broken into smaller pieces, the surface area _____increases______.
Sediments are classified based on their ______particle size__. (i.e. .02cm particles are sand)
Erosion- _____movement______of sediments
______Gravity_____ is the ultimate force behind erosion.
______Running Water______is the primary agent of erosion.
Dissolved mineral are carried in _____solution______.
Silt/Clay colloids are carried by _____suspension______.
Sand/ Pebbles slide and bounce along the bottom.
As the velocity increases, the size of the sediments a stream can transport ______increases______.
As the slope/gradient of a stream increases, the size of the sediments a stream can transport _____increases______.
As the discharge (an amount of water in a stream) increases, velocity will ______increase______.
The velocity of a stream is greatest on the ______outside___ of a meander (bend).
Erosion occurs on the _____outside______of a meander where velocity is ____fast______.
Deposition occurs on the _____inside______of a meander where velocity is ______slow______.
_____Large______, ______dense______, ______Round_____, particles are the first to settle out of water as the water slows down. (Sorting Sediments)
Sediments transported by water are _____round______and _____smooth______due to abrasion.
Streams erode a _“V”____ shaped valley.
Sediments deposited by glaciers are ______unsorted______, (all mixed up in size and shape.)
Glaciers erode a __“U”__ shaped valley.
After a glacier has moved through an area the bedrock is ______smooth___ and ______polished____ with parallel glacial striations (scratches).
Wind deposits consist of fine grained well sorted particles (sand) particles exhibit a pitted/frosted appearance and cross bedded layers.
Residual soil- developed from the bedrock below it- _____same______mineral composition as bedrock below.
Transported soil- transported from another location- _____different______mineral composition than bedrock below.
______Longshore______drift moves sand along the beach in the direction of the ocean current.
Folds, faults, ______tilts______provide evidence that the earth’s crust has moved.
Earthquake is a sudden movement along a fault, usually happens at ______plate boundaries_____.
______Tsunamis______(tidal wave) caused by underwater earthquake.
Fossils of marine life found at high elevation are evidence of ______uplift______.
Evidence of continental drift (pangea) – The puzzle like appearance of the continents (South America/Africa) South America and Africa have same: fossils, rock layers. Climactic evidence (i.e. glacier in Africa?)
Mid-Ocean ridges (spreading center) are areas where ______new crust______is being created as tectonic plates move apart.

______Divergent______plate boundary – Two plates move apart.
______Convergent______- two plates move toward one another.
Proof of sea floor spreading -1- the age of the ocean floor is ______younger____ at the mid ocean ridges and gets _____older____ as you move away in either direction. 2. There is also a matching pattern of earth’s _____magnetic__ polarity on either side of the ridge.
Inferences about Earth’s interior come from the study of ______seismic waves______.
Earthquakes and volcanoes happen in the same spot, near ______plate boundaries______.
______Hot Spots______are not associated with plate boundaries –magma burns through plate = a series of islands (Hawaii).
Continental crust is ______older______with a density of ______2.7 g/cm3______and is composed of ____granite______.
Oceanic crust is ______younger___, with a density of ___3.0 g/cm3_____ and is composed of ___basalt____.
When a continental plate collides with an oceanic plate the ______oceanic______plate subducts because it ______more______dense.