EARTH SCIENCE MIDTERM EXAM 2012 STUDY GUIDE---------MRS. MENDELSON
Review all your Notes (refer to the list below) and reread all the corresponding Review Book chapters
(also list below) as they provide a good summary of the material we covered.
Review all your old tests—making sure you understand your mistakes but more importantly, practice as
many new questions for each of the units as possible. I have provided you with question packets for
each of the units. Please do not stop there—take advantage of the interactive questions on the
TUTORIALS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS page of my website as well as the Interactive Regents Questions
found on the MIDTERM page of my website.
NOTE PACKETS :
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OBSERVATION AND MEASUREMENT
DIMENSIONS OF THE EARTH
ROCKS AND MINERALS (2 PACKETS)
WEATHERING, EROSION, DEPOSTION PLUS LANDSCAPES, GLACIERS AND BEACHES (2 PACKETS)
DYNAMIC CRUST
NOTE: EARTH HISTORY WILL NOT BE INCLUDED ON THE MIDTERM EXAM
REVIEW BOOK CHAPTERS:
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INTRODUCTION/WELCOME TO EARTH SCIENCE
CH. 1 PLANET EARTH
CH. 2 ROCKS AND MINERALS
CH. 3 DYNAMIC CRUST
CH. 4 WEATHERING, EROSION, DEPOSITION
CH. 5 GLACIERS, OCEANS AND LANDSCAPES
EARTH SCIENCE RESFERENCE TABLES (ESRT)
On any Regents Exam, 30-40% of the questions come from the Reference Tables—make sure you
understand how to use them. In addition, Reference Tables can give you helpful hints to other
questions so it is important that you can connect the Reference Tables to a specific unit.
The ESRT Tables begin after p. 336 in your Review Book—they are also on my website.
ESRT LIST
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P. 1 Equations
Rate of Change
Density
Gradient
Compostion of the Crust, Hydrosphere and Troposphere
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P. 2 Landscape Regions of New York
P. 3 Bedrock Geology of New York
P. 5 Tectonic Plates
P. 6 Rock Cycle
Igneous Rocks
Relationship of Particle Size to Water Velocity
P. 7 Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
p. 10 Properties of Earth’s Interior
p. 11 Earthquake P wave and S wave Travel Time
p. 15 Properties of Earth’s Atmosphere
p. 16 Properties of Common Minerals
Part 2 of the Exam will cover some of the lab skills you have learned. The list below outlines all the lab
skills we have learned so far:
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Determining Latitude and Longitude
Constructing a Topographic Profile
Calculating Gradient
Calculating Rate of Change
Calculating Density
Reading and Interpreting Maps (directions and distances)
Drawing Isolines
Determining the Distance to the Epicenter
BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF SOME IMPORTANT FACTS—THIS SUMMARY IS NOT A SUBSITUTE FOR
STUDYING THE ACTUAL NOTE PACKETS
The same substance always has the same density.
As temperature increase, density decrease.
Water expands when it freezes; water is less dense as a solid than a liquid.
Most changes are cyclic.
The accepted value is the correct answer; the measured value is the guess.
The best model of the Earth is a sphere.
When a rock is broken into smaller pieces, surface areas increase and weathering rate increases.
Latitude lines run E-W just like the Equator but measure distances north or south.
Longitude lines run North- South but measure distances east and west.
Longitude is used for time zones.
The Earth rotates 15 degrees in one hour and it rotates from west to east.
The closer the contour lines are together, the steeper the slope or gradient.
Arid landscape = steep slopes and sharp angles.
Humid landscape = smooth with rounded edges.
Chemical weathering occurs mostly in warm, humid climates.
Physical weathering occurs mostly in cold, humid climates (frost action).
Gravity controls all the other agents of erosion ( water, ice, wind).
Stream velocity depends on slope and discharge (volume).
Velocity is fastest on the outside bend (meander) and erosion occurs.
Heavy, dense and spherical particles settle out first.
Vertical sorting: biggest sediments on the bottom.
Water and wind deposits are sorted.
Gravity and glacial deposits are not sorted.
Sedimentary rocks form in layers either by cementing of particles or chemical/bioclastic—contain fossils.
Igneous—melted rock that cools; fast cooling = small crystals and slow cooling = large crystals.
Metamorphic—banded/foliated minerals due to heat and pressure (no melting).
Mineral properties depend on internal atomic arrangement.
Ocean crust is thin and made of basalt.
Continental crust is thick and made of granite.
Mid-ocean ridge—new rock forms; diverging plates; youngest rock in the center at the ridge.
Convergent boundary—trench plus volcanic mountain range near coast.
P waves are faster than S waves.
P waves go through solids and liquids; S waves cannot pass through liquids.
You need 3 seismograph readings to find the Epicenter.
Convection currents in the mantle move plates.
HELPFUL HINTS
Get plenty of sleep and come prepared with 4 function calculator, pen and sharpened pencils.
Read all information and study the diagrams carefully.
Draw diagrams or substitute words to help you understand a question.
Be careful and accurate when measuring; be neat when drawing a diagram.
Try to eliminate at least two choices first before deciding on your answer.
ALWAYS check the Reference Tables in case they can help you.
Look up formulas even if you think you know them—substitute the info into the formula; be careful
when calculating the answer.
Skip over hard questions that are stumping you—go back to them later—something else in the test may
give you a hint.
If you have to guess—don’t second-guess—go with your first guess—it’s usually right.
A good night’s sleep is a s important as all of the above.
Relax—you’ve seen all this stuff before!