Earth Science Regents Midterm Practice Multiple Choice ___/85

1. The topographic map below shows a lake and two rivers. In which direction does each of the rivers flow? (1) The Sapphire River and the Garnet River both flow east. (2) The Sapphire River and the Garnet River both flow west. (3) The Sapphire River flows east and the Garnet River flows west. (4) The Sapphire River flows west and the Garnet River flows east. 2. Compared to the terrestrial planets, the Jovian planets (1) are less massive (2) are more dense (3) have greater orbital velocities (4) have shorter periods of rotation 3. The diagrams below represent spectral lines of hydrogen gas observed in a laboratory and the spectral lines of hydrogen gas observed in the light from a distance Compared to the spectral lines observed in the laboratory, the spectral lines observed in the light from the distant star have shifted toward the (1) red end of the spectrum, indicating the star’s movement toward Earth (2) red end of the spectrum, indicating the star’s movement away from Earth (3) blue end of the spectrum, indicating the star’s movement toward Earth (4) blue end of the spectrum, indicating the star’s movement away from Earth

8. Which rock is composed of the mineral halite that formed when seawater evaporated? (1) limestone (3) rock gypsum (2) dolostone (4) rock salt 9. Which table includes data that are characteristic of the surface temperature and luminosity of some white dwarf stars? 10. Which process generates the energy that is released by stars? (1) nuclear fusion (3) convection currents (2) thermal conduction (4) radioactive decay 13. The diagram below represents the apparent 11. The topographic map below shows a portion of the Cayuta Creek that is located in New York State. Points A, B, C, and D represent locations on Earth’s surface. Which point on the map most likely represents a location within the floodplain associated with Cayuta Creek? (1) A (3) C (2) B (4) D 12. On April 21, the altitude of Polaris, as viewed from a location in New York State, was measured as 41.3°. What will the altitude of Polaris be when viewed one month later, on May 21, from the same location? (1) 23.5° (3) 66.7° (2) 41.3° (4) 90° 14. Which characteristics best describe the star

path of the Sun as seen by an observer on June 21 at a location in New York State. Which diagram best represents the apparent path of the Sun at this same location on December 21? Betelgeuse ? (1) reddish orange with low luminosity and high surface temperature (2) reddish orange with high luminosity and low surface temperature (3) blue white with low luminosity and low surface temperature (4) blue white with high luminosity and high surface temperature 15. The igneous rock gabbro most likely formed from molten material that cooled (1) rapidly at Earth’s surface (2) slowly at Earth’s surface (3) rapidly, deep underground (4) slowly, deep underground 16. Why are some constellations visible to New York State observers at midnight during April, but not visible at midnight during October? (1) Constellations move within our galaxy. (2) Constellations have elliptical orbits. (3) Earth revolves around the Sun. (4) Earth rotates on its axis 17. A red shift in the light from very distant galaxies suggests that the universe is (1) fixed and stationary (3) contracting (2) moving randomly (4) expanding 18. What is the approximate density of a mineral with a mass of 262.2 grams that displaces 46 cubic centimeters of water? (1) 1.8 g/cm 3 (3) 6.1 g/cm 3 (2) 5.7 g/cm 3 (4) 12.2 g/cm 3 19. What is the color and type of rock that forms oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges? (1) light colored and igneous (2) light colored and sedimentary (3) dark colored and igneous (4) dark colored and sedimentary Base your answers to questions 20 through 23 on the two topographic maps below. A grid system of numbers and letters appears along the edge of each map to help locate features. Both maps show elevations in feet above sea level

This mineral breaks in smooth, flat surfaces because it (1) is very hard (2) is very dense (3) contains large amounts of iron (4) has a regular arrangement of atoms 25. The diagram below shows the latitude-longitude grid on an Earth model. Points A and B are locations on the surface. On Earth, the solar time difference between point A and point B would be (1) 1 hour (3) 12 hours (2) 5 hours (4) 24 hours 26. Earth’s hydrosphere is best described as the (1) solid outer layer of Earth (2) liquid outer layer of Earth (3) magma layer located below Earth’s stiffer mantle (4) gaseous layer extending several hundred kilometers from Earth into space (3) rotation of approximately 1°/day (4) revolution of approximately 1°/day 28. Halite has three cleavage directions at 90° to each other. Which model best represents the shape of a broken sample of halite? 29. Which sequence of change in rock type occurs as shale is subjected to increasing heat and pressure? (1) shale → schist → phyllite → slate → gneiss (2) shale → slate → phyllite → schist → gneiss (3) shale → gneiss → phyllite → slate → schist (4) shale → gneiss → phyllite → schist → slate 30. The graph below shows the relationship between mass and volume for three samples, A, B, and C, of a given material. What is the density of this material? (1) 1.0 g/cm3 (3) 10.0 g/cm3 (2) 5.0 g/cm3 (4) 20.0 g/cm3

31. Which planet is approximately thirty times farther from the Sun than Earth is? (1) Jupiter (3) Uranus (2) Saturn (4) Neptune 32. In the cartoon below, Lucy gives Linus incorrect information about pebbles. If Lucy wanted to give Linus correct information about pebbles, which statement would be most accurate? (1) Pebbles can become cemented together to form a rock called gabbro (2) Pebble is the name given to the smallest-size sediment. (3) Any large rock that weathers could become a pebble. (4) Magma is composed of pebbles. 33. The diagram below shows four rock samples. Which sample best shows the physical properties normally associated with regional metamorphism? (1) A (3) C (2) B (4) D 34. Which object orbits Earth in both the Earthcentered (geocentric) and Sun-centered (heliocentric) models of our solar system? (1) the Moon (3) the Sun (2) Venus (4) Polaris 35. Compared to felsic igneous rocks, mafic igneous rocks contain greater amounts of (1) white quartz (3) pink feldspar (2) aluminum (4) iro 36. What are the two most abundant elements by mass found in Earth’s crust? (1) aluminum and iron (2) sodium and chlorine (3) calcium and carbon (4) oxygen and silicon Base your answers to questions 37 and 38 on the geologic cross section below. Overturning has not occurred. The dike and sills shown in the cross section are igneous intrusions. 37. Which rock type is the oldest? 38. 39. Predictable changes in the direction of swing of a Foucault pendulum provide evidence that (1) Earth is tilted on its axis (2) Earth rotates on its axis (3) Earth’s orbit is slightly elliptical (4) Earth’s magnetic poles reverse over time 40. To an observer in Buffalo, New York, the North Star, Polaris, is always located above the northern horizon at an altitude of approximately (1) 23 (½) ° (3) 66 (½) ° (2) 43° (4) 90° Base your answers to questions 41 through 43 on the topographic map below. Points X, Y, and Z are locations on the map. Elevations are expressed in meters.

45. As the altitude increases within Earth’s stratosphere, air temperature generally (1) decreases, only (2) increases, only (3) decreases, then increases (4) increases, then decreases 46. The diagrams below represent four rock samples. Which rock was formed by rapid cooling in a volcanic lava flow? [The diagrams are not to scale.] 47. The Milky Way galaxy is best described as (1) a type of solar system (2) a constellation visible to everyone on Earth (3) a region in space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter (4) a spiral-shaped formation composed of billions of stars 48. The dashed line on the map below shows a ship’s route from Long Island, New York, to Florida. As the ship travels south, the star Polaris appears lower in the northern sky each night. The best explanation for this observation is that Polaris (1) rises and sets at different locations each day (2) has an elliptical orbit around Earth (3) is located directly over Earth’s Equator (4) is located directly over Earth’s North Pole 49. The diagram below shows the Moon at four positions in its orbit around Earth as viewed from above the North Pole. Beginning with the Moon at position X (the new-Moon phase), which sequence of Moon phases would be seen by an observer on Earth during 1 month? 50. An increase in which gas would cause the most greenhouse warming of Earth’s atmosphere? (1) nitrogen (3) carbon dioxide (2) oxygen (4) hydrogen 51. When the time of day for a certain ship at sea is 12 noon, the time of day at the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) is 5 p.m. What is the ship’s longitude? (1) 45° W (3) 75° W (2) 45° E (4) 75° E 52. The diagram below represents a simple geocentric model. Which object is represented by the letter X? Base your answers to questions 57 through 60 on the “Properties of Common Minerals” chart in the

(1) Earth (2) Sun (3) Moon (4) Polaris 53. In which list are the forms of electromagnetic energy arranged in order from longest to shortest wavelengths? (1) gamma rays, x rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light (2) radio waves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays (3) x rays, infrared rays, blue light, gamma rays (4) infrared rays, radio waves, blue light, red light 54. Earth’s outer core is best inferred to be (1) liquid, with an average density of approximately 4 g/cm3 (2) liquid, with an average density of approximately 11 g/cm3 (3) solid, with an average density of approximately 4 g/cm3 (4) solid, with an average density of approximately 11 g/cm3 Note that questions 55 and 56 have only three Choices. 55. As air on the surface of Earth warms, the density of the air (1) decreases (2) increases (3) remains the same 56. Compared to the average density of the terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars), the average density of the Jovian planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) is (1) less (2) greater (3) the same Earth Science Reference Tables. 57. Which mineral leaves a green-black powder when rubbed against an unglazed porcelain plate? (1) galena (3) hematite (2) graphite (4) pyrite 58. Which mineral scratches dolomite and is scratched by olivine? (1) galena (2) quartz (3) potassium feldspar (4) muscovite mica 59. Which statement about the minerals plagioclase feldspar, gypsum, biotite mica, and talc can best be inferred from the chart? (1) These minerals have the same chemical and physical properties. (2) These minerals have different chemical properties, but they have similar physical properties. (3) These minerals have different physical and chemical properties, but they have identical uses. (4) The physical and chemical properties of these minerals determine how humans use them. 60. Minerals from this chart are found in several different rocks. Which two rocks are primarily composed of a mineral that bubbles with acid? (1) limestone and marble (2) granite and dolostone (3) sandstone and quartzite (4) slate and conglomerate 61. Base your answers to questions 62 through 64 on the diagram below, which represents the elliptical orbit of a planet traveling around a star. Points A, B, C, and D are four positions of this planet in its orbit.

68. Earth’s outer core and inner core are both inferred to be (1) liquid (2) solid (3) composed of a high percentage of iron (4) under the same pressure 69. Which nonfoliated rock forms only in a zone of contact metamorphism? (1) conglomerate (3) pegmatite (2) hornfels (4) quartzite 70. The density of Earth’s crust is (1) less than the density of the outer core but greater than the density of the mantle (2) greater than the density of the outer core but less than the density of the mantle (3) less than the density of both the outer core and the mantle (4) greater than the density of both the outer core and the mantle 71. In each diagram below, the mass of the star is the same. In which diagram is the force of gravity greatest between the star and the planet shown? 72. When granite melts and then solidifies, it becomes (1) a sedimentary rock (2) an igneous rock (3) a metamorphic rock (4) sediments Which shadow was cast by the same telephone pole on June 21 at solar noon? 74. On each topographic map below, the straight-line distance from point A to point B is 5 kilometers. Which topographic map shows the steepest gradient between A and B?

75. The graph below shows the relationship between the cooling time of magma and the size of the crystals produced. Which graph correctly shows the relative positions of the igneous rocks granite, rhyolite, and pumice? 76. Which statement best explains why Earth and the other planets of our solar system became layered as they were being formed? (1) Gravity caused less-dense material to move toward the center of each planet. (2) Gravity caused more-dense material to move toward the center of each planet. (3) Materials that cooled quickly stayed at the surface of each planet. (4) Materials that cooled slowly stayed at the surface of each planet 77. Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the shortest wavelength? (1) ultraviolet (3) radio waves (2) gamma rays (4) visible light 78. The graph below shows ocean water levels for a shoreline location on Long Island, New York. The graph also indicates the dates and times of high and low tides. Based on the data, the next high tide occurred at approximately (1) 4 p.m. on July 13 (3) 4 p.m. on July 14 (2) 10 p.m. on July 13 (4) 10 p.m. on July 14 79. Which rock was subjected to intense heat and pressure but did not solidify from magma? (1) sandstone (3) gabbro (2) schist (4) rhyolite 80 . Earth’s approximate rate of revolution is (1) 1° per day (3) 180° per day (2) 15° per day (4) 360° per day 81. The diagram below represents the position of Earth in its orbit and the position of a comet in its orbit around the Sun Which inference can be made about the comet’s orbit, when it is compared to Earth’s orbit? (1) Earth’s orbit and the comet’s orbit have the same distance between foci. (2) Earth’s orbit has a greater distance between foci than the comet’s orbit. (3) The comet’s orbit has one focus, while Earth’s orbit has two foci. (4) The comet’s orbit has a greater distance between foci than Earth’s orbit.