Earth Science Regents Review Lecture - Mr. Gasner

Introduction

• Review for Earth Science Regents Exam
• Utilizes old Regents exams for practice
• Exam prep strategy:
  • Work on multiple choice questions independently
  • Check answers with the provided key
  • Use video explanations for questions answered incorrectly

Exam Prep Steps

1. Attempt questions from the June 2018 Earth Science Regents exam.
2. Check answers with the provided key.
3. For incorrect answers, use timestamp links in the video description for explanations.
4. Utilize additional online resources, including free and paid review courses on Mr. Gasner's website.
5. Focus on understanding why correct answers are correct and why wrong choices are wrong.

Key Topics and Question Explanations

Solar Eclipses

• Total vs. Partial Solar Eclipses
  • Diagrams and visual explanations
  • Sun, Moon, and Earth's positions
  • Importance of understanding solar eclipses for questions

Terrestrial and Jovian Planets

• Differences between planets
  • Terrestrial (rocky surfaces, closer to Sun)
  • Jovian (gas giants, outer planets)
• Example question on rotation periods

Major Historical Events

• Big Bang (~13.7 billion years ago)
• Formation of Solar System (~4.6 billion years ago)
• Example question on timeline understanding

Foucault Pendulum

• Demonstrates Earth's rotation
• Diagram explanations
• Key point: Proves Earth's rotation

Earth's Orbit and Rotation

• Understanding degrees traveled in orbit
  • Full orbit = 360 degrees
  • Calculation for travel in one month (~30 degrees)
• Example question explained

Weather and Relative Humidity

• Use of reference tables
  • Dry bulb & wet bulb temperatures
  • Calculate relative humidity
• Example: 16°C dry, 10°C wet -> 45% relative humidity

Natural Disasters Preparedness

• Actions taken for different disasters
  • Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Floods, Tsunamis
• Example: Boarding up windows for hurricanes

Polar Jet Stream

• Winter months jet stream behavior
• Understanding direction and position from diagrams
• Example question on Northern Hemisphere jet stream

Moon Phases and Eclipses

• Diagrams of moon's positions and visible phases
• Focus on shaded vs. illuminated sections
• Example: Identifying moon phases from diagrams

Red and Blue Shifts

• Understanding spectral lines and wavelength shifts
  • Redshift: Moving away
  • Blueshift: Moving towards
• Example question on spectral analysis

Earth's Axis Tilt

• Axis tilt of 23.5 degrees
• Use of diagrams to explain tilt relative to the orbital plane
• Example question on Earth's rotational axis

Visibility of Constellations

• Seasonal visibility of constellations from Earth
• Explanation of why constellations are visible at different times
• Example: Nighttime side facing different parts of space

Interior Earth Temperatures

• Reading charts from reference tables
  • Temperature and melting points at various depths
• Example: 4000 km depth -> 5700°C (liquid state)

Greenhouse Gases

• Key greenhouse gases: CO2, CH4, H2O vapor
• Example question on gases and deforestation impact

Ocean Currents

• Identification of currents from reference tables
• Example: Warm water current to SE Africa (Agulhas Current)

Human Existence Timeline

• Comparing human existence relative to Earth's history
• Example: Pie chart representation (very small segment)

Volcanic Ash Layers

• Use of ash layers to correlate rock layers
• Example: Wide geographic spread makes it a good time marker

Mountain and Climate

• Climate differences on windward vs. leeward sides of mountains
• Example: Warmer and drier on leeward side (choice 4)

Relative Age of Rocks

• Principles of relative dating
  • Cross-cutting relationships
  • Order of formation
• Example: Age of pebbles in conglomerate rock

Water Cycle Processes

• Encompassing key processes: Evaporation, Transpiration, Runoff, Condensation
• Example: Identifying processes in cross-section diagram

Climate and Latitude

• Relationship between latitude and climate conditions
  • Humid vs. Arid areas
• Example: Using reference table to match climate conditions

Stream Erosion

• Processes forming rounded sediments
  • Abrasion causing rounded edges
• Example: Wave action as the agent of erosion

Relative Rock Ages in Cross Sections

• Using principles to determine oldest to youngest layers
• Example: Intrusive relationships in rock layers (C oldest, then A, B most recent)

Rift Valleys

• Understanding plate tectonics and rift formation
• Example: Location on map related to diverging plates

Seismic Wave Analysis

• Using reference tables to calculate distances and travel times
  • P-waves and S-waves
• Example: Distance and travel time calculations for seismic stations

Landscape Features

• Characteristics of mountains, plateaus, and lowlands
  • High elevation, flat bedrock for plateaus
• Example: Classifying Catskills as a plateau

Stream Velocity and Particle Transport

• Reading velocity charts from reference tables
• Example: Minimum velocity for transporting particles

Evaporites in Rocks

• Identifying evaporites from sedimentary charts
• Example: Rock salt as an evaporite

Element Composition of Earth’s Crust

• Volume composition from reference tables
  • Oxygen and Potassium are major elements
• Example: Oxygen and Potassium by volume

Soil and Organic Layers

• Understanding soil horizons and bedrock
  • Organic matter concentrated near surface
• Example: Identifying layer with most organic content

Regional Bedrock Types

• Using maps to find bedrock types in various locations
• Example: Sedimentary rocks in Utica, NY

Stream Drainage Patterns

• Matching drainage patterns to landscapes
• Example: Radial pattern for domed landscapes

Arctic Sea Ice Trends

• Interpreting climate data from maps
• Example: Decreasing ice over time indicates warming

Erosion and Depositional Features

• Identifying deltas and barrier islands
• Example: Features formed by river deposition and waves

Metamorphic Rock Processes

• Heat and pressure forming metamorphic rocks
  • Banding and mineral alignment
• Example: Processes responsible for changes in rock structure

Tidal Patterns

• Interpreting tidal data and patterns
• Example: Reading graphs for tidal heights and understanding causes (Moon's gravity)

Star Life Cycles

• Understanding stages in star evolution based on mass
• Example: Final stages for massive vs. less massive stars

Radioactive Decay and Half-life

• Using decay graphs to determine half-life and atom count
• Example: Calculating half-life and remaining atoms after specific periods

Atmospheric Layers

• Identifying atmospheric layers from altitude data
• Example: Troposphere layer based on reference tables

Density and Atmospheric Movement

• Updrafts and downdrafts related to air density differences
• Example: Density differences causing movement within clouds

Weather Symbols

• Recognizing symbols for different weather events on station models
• Example: Thunderstorm symbol identification

Topographic Maps and Contour Intervals

• Reading and calculating contour intervals and gradients
• Example: Contour interval determination and gradient calculation

Elevation Changes on Maps

• Understanding uphill and downhill sections on trails
• Example: Trail elevation changes identification