117+Ways+to+Pass+the+Earth+Science+Exam

117 Ways to Pass the Earth Science Regents

1.The same substance always has the same density 2.As pressure increases, density increases 3.As temperature increases, density decreases 4.Water expands when it freezes 5.Most changes are cyclic 6.Water is most dense at 4 o C, when it is a liquid 7.The true shape of the Earth is an Oblate Spheroid, but from space it looks like a sphere. 8.The best model of the Earth is a sphere 9.The altitude of Polaris equals your latitude 10.To determine the earth's circumference, the altitude of the sun is needed at two locations 11.Latitude lines go east-west, just like the equator, but measure distances north or south. 12.Longitude lines go north-south, but measure distances east or west. 13.Longitude is based on observations of the sun 14.Use the reference tables 15.The closer the isolines (contour-isobar-isotherms-) are the steeper the slope or gradient 16.The earth rotates from west to east (24 hours) 17.The earth revolves counterclockwise (365 1/4 days) 18.All celestial objects appear to move west 19.The moon has phases because of the angle at which we view it (remember though that half is always lit) 20.Planets appear to go backwards (retrograde) as the earth passes them in space 21.Summer solstice is June 21st 22.Winter solstice is December 21st 23.Equinoxes: March 21st September 23rd 24.Equator always has 12 hours of day-light 25.The lower the altitude of the sun, the longer the shadow it casts 26.Foucault's pendulum and the Coriolis effect prove the earth rotates 27.Earth is closer to the sun in winter 28.The closer the planet is to the sun the higher it's velocity 31.Black absorbs/white reflects 32.The half-life of a radioactive element can't be changed 33.Ocean crust is thin and made of basalt 34.Continental crust is thick and made of granite 35.Energy moves from source to sink: high to low 36.Mountains form by uplift 37.Chemical weathering occurs mostly in warm, humid climates 38.Physical weathering occurs mostly in cold, humid climates (good for frost wedging) 39.Air moves clockwise and outward around a high 40.Air moves counterclockwise and inward around a low 41.Good absorbers of radiation are good radiators 42.Hottest part of the year is in July 43.Hottest part of the day is after 1:00 p.m. 44.As temperature increases, air pressure decreases 45.As moisture increases, pressure decreases 46.Air pressure decreases with altitude 47.Highs are cool and dry; lows are warm and wet 48.Wind is due to air pressure differences 49.Wind blows from high to low pressure 50.Wind is named from the direction that it is coming from 51.The accepted value is the correct answer.The measured value is the guess. 52.The closer the air temperature is to the dew point the greater the chance for precipitation 53.Weather moves from west to east in the United States 57.Cold fronts move the fastest 58.Porosity does not depend on particle size 59.As particle size increases, permeability increases 60.Capillarity increases when particle size decreases 61.Ep (potential evapotranspiration) depends on temperature 62.Dynamic equilibrium means balance 63.Apparent diameter of objects (sun, moon) gets larger when the object is closer to Earth 64.Vertical rays (overhead sun) can only occur between 23-1/2 o N and 23-1/2 o S 65.Index fossils are good time markers (widely spread, lived a short time) 66.Air cools as it rises 67.Water bodies moderate temperature 69.Gravity causes all erosion 70.Streams are the number one agent of erosion 71.Stream velocity depends on slope and discharge 72.Velocity is fastest on the out side of meander bend 73.Heavy, round and dense particle settle out first Graded 74.Bedding (vertical sorting):biggest sentiments are on bottom 75.Glacial sentiments are unsorted, scratched, U shaped valley 76.Sedimentary rocks - strata - flat layers - most likely to have fossils 77.Igneous rock: cools fast: small crystals; cools slow: large crystals 78.Metamorphic- banded-distorted structure 79.Mineral properties depend on internal atomic arrangement 80.Silicon + oxygen = tetrahedron 81.Isostasy: earth's crust in equilibrium 82.Mid-ocean ridge - new earth being created-sea floor spreading 83.Trenches - earth being destroyed-subduction zone 84.P waves are faster than S waves 85.P waves - solids & liquids can pass through -- S waves solids only 86.You need 3 seismometer stations to plot earthquake 87.Undisturbed strata - bottom layer is oldest 88.Intrusion and faults are younger than the rock they are in 89.Unconformity means erosion 90.Arid landscape:steep slopes with sharp angles 91.Humid landscape:smooth with rounded slopes 92.When in doubt, see if the reference tables will help 93.Uranium-235 dates old rocks 94.Carbon-14 dates recent living objects 95.Convection currents in the mantle move plates 96.Always try to eliminate two answers 97.When a rock is broken into smaller pieces, surface area increases and weathering rate increases 98.Use complete sentences for the free responses 99.Be familiar with this chart: (23 1/2 o S) || Rises in SE Sets in SW || 24.5 o (lowest) || 8 hours (shortest day) || Sets due West || 48 o || 12 hours || (23 1/2 o N) || Rises in NE Sets in NW || 71.5 o (highest) || 16 hours (longest day) || HINTS FOR TAKING THE REGENTS EXAM AND DOING BETTER
 * DATE (APPROXIMATE) || LATITUDE OF SUN'S DIRECT RAYS || DIRECTION OF SUNRISE AND SUNSET || ALTITUDE OF NOON SUN || LENGTH OF DAYLIGHT ||
 * Sept. 23 (Autumnal Equinox) || Equator (0 o ) || Rises due East Sets due West || 48 o || 12 hours ||
 * December 21 (Winter Solstice) || Tropic of Capricorn
 * March 21 (Vernal Equinox) || Equator (0 o ) || Rises due East
 * June 21 (Summer Solstice) || Tropic of Cancer

100. USE THE REFERENCE TABLES! 101. Relax--You've already completed 1/4 of the exam. 102. In part II, choose groups A and B (rocks & minerals, and plate tectonics) 103.Take your time.You have three hours to do the exam 104.Read introductory paragraphs and study diagrams before looking at questions.Underline key words. 105.Draw diagrams to help you visualize the questions asked - where possible 106.Use a straight-edge to read graphics, to mark points on a graph and to measure distances. 107.If certain words cause confusion, cross them out and substitute a different word, then read the question again.(example:substitute the word "false" for "not true") 108.Don't leave any questions blank 109.Read all choices before deciding on an answer, sometimes a question has a good and a better answer.Always choose the best answer. 110.If you are not sure of an answer, try to eliminate choices that you think are clearly wrong and narrow down your choices.Then make your most careful guess. 111.Ask yourself:Is it in the reference tables, or can the reference tables help me? 112.Check your test a second time, but only change an answer if you find an obvious mistake. Your first choice is usually correct. 113.Look up formulas, even if you think you know them.Substitute information from the question into the formula.Most are on the back page of the reference tables. 114.Skip over hard questions that are stumping you.Go back to them later.Something else in the test may give you a clue to the harder problems. 115.Have a healthy meal for dinner the night before.Eat veggies if possible. 116.A good night sleep is as important as the above 112 items. 117.Relax-you've seen all this stuff before.