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1.
Part A
Answer all questions in this part.
Directions (1 - 35): For each statement or question, choose the word or expression that, of those given, best
completes the statement or answers the question. Some questions may require the use of the 2011 Edition
Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science. Record your answers on your separate answer sheet.
1 Most asteroids in our solar system are located in
the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and
Jupiter. What is the approximate distance from
the Sun to the asteroid belt?
(1) 129 million km (3) 403 million km
(2) 210 million km (4) 1103 million km Answer: 3 2. 2 The table below shows tide data for a location
on the north shore of Long Island, in New York
State.
Based on these data, what is the most likely time
of the next high tide?
(1) 1:53 a.m. (3) 7:40 a.m.
(2) 1:53 p.m. (4) 7:40 p.m. Answer: 1 3. 3 Which planet takes longer to complete one
rotation on its axis than it does to complete one
orbit of the Sun?
(1) Mercury (3) Earth
(2) Venus (4) Mars Answer: 2
4. 4 Jupiter is a Jovian planet. Compared to the
terrestrial planets, Jupiter has a
(1) shorter period of revolution
(2) shorter distance to the Sun
(3) greater density
(4) greater mass Answer: 4 5. 5 The entire constellation of Orion is visible in
the night sky in January to an observer in New
York State. Which statement explains why this
constellation is not visible in the night sky to this
observer in June?
(1) Earth rotates on its axis.
(2) Earth revolves around the Sun.
(3) The constellation Orion orbits the Sun.
(4) The tilt of Earthâs axis changes throughout
the year. Answer: 2 6. 6 The approximate age of the universe is estimated
to be
(1) 4.6 million years (3) 13.8 million years
(2) 4.6 billion years (4) 13.8 billion years Answer: 4 7. 7 The photograph below shows the apparent path
of the Sun photographed at 20-minute intervals
and combined into one photograph.
Which motion is responsible for the apparent
path of the Sun shown in the photograph?
(1) Earthâs rotation (3) Sunâs rotation
(2) Earthâs revolution (4) Sunâs revolution Answer: 1 8. 8 The mass extinction of the dinosaurs,
approximately 65.5 million years ago, is inferred
by most scientists to have been caused by
(1) a large energy surge from the surface of the
Sun
(2) the occurrence of a major ice age
(3) an impact event occurring on Earthâs surface
(4) earthquakes occurring along crustal plate
boundaries Answer: 3 9. 9 The diagram below represents Earth as viewed
from space. Letter A represents the angle of
tilt of Earthâs rotational axis. Line XY is
perpendicular to the plane of Earthâs orbit.
What is the value of the angle represented by
letter A?
(1) 15.0° (3) 66.5°
(2) 23.5° (4) 90.0° Answer: 2 10. 10 In the spring, when snow cover on the land
melts, the water will most likely infiltrate Earthâs
surface where that land surface is
(1) still frozen with a steep slope
(2) still frozen with a gentle slope
(3) no longer frozen with a steep slope
(4) no longer frozen with a gentle slope Answer: 4 11. 11 Water is returned from Earthâs surface to the
atmosphere by
(1) condensation and transpiration
(2) condensation and precipitation
(3) evaporation and transpiration
(4) evaporation and precipitation Answer: 3 12. 12 Which type of sediment sample normally has the
greatest permeability rate?
(1) unsorted pebbles (3) sorted pebbles
(2) unsorted sand (4) sorted sand Answer: 3 13. 13 The presence of which atmospheric condition will
most likely result in clear skies in Binghamton,
New York?
(1) high humidity
(2) high-pressure center
(3) increasing wind speed
(4) dewpoint equal to air temperature Answer: 2 14. 14 Which changes in air temperature and
atmospheric pressure will normally be recorded
by a weather balloon when it is released at Earthâs
surface and rises through the troposphere?
(1) a decrease in both air temperature and
atmospheric pressure
(2) a decrease in air temperature and an increase
in atmospheric pressure
(3) an increase in both air temperature and
atmospheric pressure
(4) an increase in air temperature and a decrease
in atmospheric pressure Answer: 1 15. 15 Which gas is most effective in absorbing
incoming harmful ultraviolet radiation in Earthâs
stratosphere before that radiation reaches Earthâs
surface?
(1) nitrogen (3) oxygen
(2) hydrogen (4) ozone Answer: 4
16. 16 The major cause of monsoon rains in India and
southeast Asia is seasonal
(1) shifts in the prevailing wind belts
(2) shifts in ocean currents
(3) changes in the energy radiated from the Sun
(4) changes in worldwide atmospheric
temperatures Answer: 1 17. 17 The cross section below represents the
windward and leeward sides of a mountain. The
arrows show the direction of air movement over
the mountain. Points X and Y represent locations
on Earthâs surface.
Compared to the temperature and water vapor
content of the air at location X, the temperature
and water vapor content at location Y are most
likely
(1) warmer and wetter (3) cooler and wetter
(2) warmer and drier (4) cooler and drier Answer: 2 18. 18 Which surface ocean current transports cool
water to lower latitudes?
(1) Gulf Stream
(2) Peru Current
(3) West Greenland Current
(4) East Australia Current Answer: 2 19. 19 Which land surface characteristics produce the
greatest amount of absorption of insolation at
Earthâs surface?
(1) dark color and rough texture
(2) dark color and smooth texture
(3) light color and rough texture
(4) light color and smooth texture Answer: 1 20. 20 The planetary surface winds and air currents
near Earthâs equator are usually
(1) converging and sinking
(2) diverging and sinking
(3) converging and rising
(4) diverging and rising Answer: 3 21. 21 Oxygen in Earthâs early atmosphere was first
produced during the Precambrian from
(1) cyanobacteria in Earthâs oceans
(2) volcanic activity along plate boundaries
(3) the absorption of sunlight by plants
(4) evaporation of ocean water Answer: 1 22. 22 Which life-form existed on Earth for the shortest
period of time?
(1) dinosaurs (3) ammonoids
(2) trilobites (4) placoderm fish Answer: 4 23. 23 During the late Silurian epoch, very salty seas
extended from New York State to Michigan.
These environmental conditions resulted in
the formation of halite layers. At the same
time, Eurypterus remipes lived in nearby
environments. Both the halite layers and
Eurypterus remipes fossils can now be used
to identify a specific geologic time interval
because both formed over a
(1) large geographic area and in a short geologic
time
(2) large geographic area and in a long geologic
time
(3) small geographic area and in a short geologic
time
(4) small geographic area and in a long geologic
time Answer: 1 24. 24 If it takes a P-wave five minutes to travel from
the epicenter of an earthquake to a seismic
station, approximately how long will it take an
S-wave to travel that same distance?
(1) 15 minutes (3) 9 minutes
(2) 12 minutes (4) 4 minutes Answer: 3 25. 25 Earthquake S-waves do not pass through which
two interior Earth layers?
(1) rigid mantle and asthenosphere
(2) asthenosphere and stiffer mantle
(3) stiffer mantle and outer core
(4) outer core and inner core Answer: 4 26. 26 The cross section below represents the bedrock structure of a section of Earthâs crust. Letters A through H
represent rock units. Line XY represents a fault. The rock layers have not been overturned.
When did faulting along line XY occur?
(1) after the intrusion of rock unit A (3) after the formation of rock units E and F
(2) after the deposition of rock units B, C, and D (4) before the formation of rock units G and H Answer: 3 27. 27 The cross section below represents rock units within Earthâs crust.
The age of the granite that makes up the inclusions is most likely
(1) older than the sandstone, but the same age as the granite bedrock
(2) older than the sandstone and the granite bedrock
(3) younger than the sandstone, but the same age as the granite bedrock
(4) younger than the sandstone and the granite bedrock Answer: 1 28. 28 A portion of the Generalized Landscape Regions of New York State map below shows the location of
the Catskill Aqueduct that flows into the Kensico Reservoir, which supplies the residents of New York City
with drinkable water.
Which sequence shows the order of landscape regions that are crossed as water flows through the Catskill
Aqueduct?
(1) Allegheny Plateau, Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands, Taconic Mountains, Newark Lowlands
(2) Allegheny Plateau, Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands, Hudson Highlands, Manhattan Prong
(3) Atlantic Coastal Plain, Newark Lowlands, Hudson Highlands, Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands
(4) Atlantic Coastal Plain, Manhattan Prong, Hudson Highlands, Allegheny Plateau Answer: 2 29. 29 The map below shows the land area in New York State drained by the Oswego River and its tributaries.
The land area drained by the Oswego River and its tributaries is called a
(1) delta (3) water table
(2) watershed (4) floodplain Answer: 2 30. 30 The photograph below shows a portion of the
Genesee River in western New York. Letters A,
B, C, and D are locations in the river.
At which location would deposition of sediments
most likely be greater than erosion?
(1) A (3) C
(2) B (4) D Answer: 3 31. 31 The rate of soil development in tropical areas is
usually greater than the rate of soil development
in arctic areas because tropical areas have
(1) less chemical weathering and a scarcity of
living organisms
(2) less chemical weathering and an abundance
of living organisms
(3) more chemical weathering and a scarcity of
living organisms
(4) more chemical weathering and an abundance
of living organisms Answer: 4 32. 32 New York Stateâs Finger Lakes exist today
because
(1) U-shaped valleys were dammed by glacial
sediments
(2) V-shaped valleys are being eroded by streams
(3) a drop in sea level occurred, leaving the lakes
(4) a rise in sea level occurred, flooding the
region Answer: 1 33. 33 Which igneous rock could physically weather to
beach sand that contains the minerals pyroxene,
plagioclase feldspar, and olivine?
(1) dunite (3) peridotite
(2) granite (4) gabbro Answer: 4 34. 34 Which two physical properties of graphite make
it a good mineral for use in pencils?
(1) luster and fracture
(2) cleavage and color
(3) hardness and streak
(4) greasy feel and composition Answer: 3 35. 35 Which mineral is produced when two atoms of
iron chemically combine with three atoms of
oxygen?
(1) garnet (3) magnetite
(2) pyrite (4) hematite Answer: 4
36.
Part B - 1
Answer all questions in this part.
Directions (36 - 50): For each statement or question, choose the word or expression that, of those given,
best completes the statement or answers the question. Some questions may require the use of the 2011 Edition
Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science. Record your answers on your separate answer sheet.
Base your answers to questions 36 through 38 on the map below and on your knowledge of Earth science.
The map shows the locations of Jamestown, Watertown, and Kingston in New York State.
36 Compared to the time of sunrise in Kingston, the time of sunrise in Jamestown would be approximately
(1) 1 hour earlier (3) 20 minutes earlier
(2) 1 hour later (4) 20 minutes later Answer: 4 37. 37 An observer in Watertown, New York, would see the star Polaris at an altitude of approximately
(1) 44° (3) 75°
(2) 45° (4) 76° Answer: 1 38. 38 Earthâs system of longitude is based on which motion?
(1) Earthâs rotation (3) Earthâs revolution around the Sun
(2) the Sunâs rotation (4) the Sunâs revolution around Earth Answer: 1 39. Base your answers to questions 39 through 41 on the passage and photograph below and on your knowledge
of Earth science. The photograph shows a portion of the Patagonia Marble Caves found in South America.
Patagonia Marble Caves
The Patagonia Marble Caves of South America are found on the shores of General
Carrera Lake at a location of 46.5° S 72° W. Most of the water in the lake comes from the
melting of nearby glaciers. Many small particles carried by the glacier remain suspended
in the meltwater that fills this lake, causing a distinct blue color. Over the last 6200 years,
the water of the lake has been weathering and eroding the marble bedrock found along the
shores and within the lake itself. The marble dissolved faster at the water surface, where
the moving water is interacting with the marble bedrock, producing countless caves,
mazes, columns, and tunnels in the marble.
39 The map below shows four locations in South America, labeled A, B, C, and D.
Which lettered point on the map best represents the location of the Patagonia Marble Caves?
(1) A (3) C
(2) B (4) D Answer: 3 40. 40 Which two processes formed the marble bedrock shown in the photograph?
(1) heat and pressure (3) melting and solidification
(2) compaction and cementation (4) precipitation and evaporation Answer: 1 41. 41 Most marble is composed primarily of
(1) quartz and/or potassium feldspar (3) halite and/or olivine
(2) calcite and/or dolomite (4) pyroxene and/or plagioclase feldspar Answer: 2 42. Base your answers to questions 42 through 44 on the photographs below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. One photograph shows a digital device that recorded several weather variables. The second photograph
shows two weather instruments, labeled A and B.
42 The barometric pressure was recorded on the digital device in millibars. What is the equivalent air pressure
in inches of mercury (Hg)?
(1) 29.59 in of Hg (3) 29.62 in of Hg
(2) 29.60 in of Hg (4) 29.65 in of Hg Answer: 3 43. 43 Based on the outside air temperature and relative humidity shown on the digital device, what is the
approximate dewpoint for the time shown on the device?
(1) 8°C (3) 18°C
(2) 12°C (4) 31°C Answer: 3 44. 44 Which table correctly identifies weather instruments A and B and the weather variable that each measures?
Answer: 1 45. Base your answers to questions 45 through 47 on the diagrams below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. Diagram A represents a Foucault pendulum set up at a particular location on Earth. The line on the
floor marked 0 is the path of the pendulum when it was first set in motion. Diagram B represents the curving of
planetary winds located in two areas of Earthâs surface due to the Coriolis effect.
45 The apparent shift in the direction of swing of a Foucault pendulum and the curving of winds by the Coriolis
effect are both evidence of Earthâs
(1) tilt (3) rotation
(2) shape (4) revolution Answer: 3 46. 46 In diagram A, the apparent shift of the path of the pendulum is shown at two-hour intervals for the first eight
hours of pendulum motion. During the eight hours, the pendulumâs path was displaced 60 degrees from
where it started. How many degrees did the apparent path of the pendulum change each hour (h)?
(1) 7.5°/h (3) 60°/h
(2) 15°/h (4) 120°/h Answer: 1 47. 47 In diagram B, what are the names of the planetary wind belts formed by the deflected winds shown in
the Northern and Southern hemispheres?
Answer: 2 48. Base your answers to questions 48 through 50 on the cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The cross section shows the boundary between the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Plate.
48 In which diagram do the arrows best represent the relative motion of the upper mantle at this plate boundary?
Answer: 4 49. 49 Compared to the crust of the North American Plate, the crust of the Juan de Fuca Plate is
(1) thicker and less dense (3) thinner and less dense
(2) thicker and more dense (4) thinner and more dense Answer: 4 50. 50 The boundary between the asthenosphere and the stiffer mantle is located below the Earthâs surface at
a depth of approximately
(1) 100 km (3) 2500 km
(2) 700 km (4) 3000 km Answer: 2
51.
Part B - 2
Answer all questions in this part.
Directions (51 - 65): Record your answers in the spaces provided in your answer booklet. Some questions may
require the use of the 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
Base your answers to questions 51 through 53 on the passage below, the cross section in your answer booklet,
and on your knowledge of Earth science. The passage describes the discovery of ocean floor magnetism. The
cross section represents a pattern of normal and reverse polarity of the magnetic field preserved in the igneous
bedrock of the oceanic crust west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The magnetic polarity pattern of the bedrock on the
east side of the ridge has been left blank.
Ocean Floor Magnetism
Scientists in the early 1960s were surprised to find there was a pattern in the ocean
floor magnetism preserved in the bedrock of the Atlantic Ocean floor. They found that
the magnetism in the bedrock was arranged in an orderly pattern parallel to the Mid-
Atlantic Ridge. This mountain ridge, often marked by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions,
runs roughly north-south. Earth is currently in a period of normal polarity. However, the
magnetic record preserved in the rocks indicates that Earthâs magnetic poles have reversed
positions many times in the past. Since the initial discovery of this ocean floor magnetism,
similar magnetic patterns have also been found parallel to the mid-ocean ridges in all of
the other oceans.
51 Complete the diagram in your answer booklet by shading in the pattern of normal polarity on the east side
of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge center. Assume that the rate of plate movement was constant on both sides of the
ridge center. Your answer must show the correct width and placement of each normal polarity section. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit if the width and placement of the shaded areas are correctly indicated, as shown
below.
52. 52 Identify the type of tectonic plate boundary at the mid-ocean ridges where these magnetic patterns were
produced. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for divergent/diverging.
53. 53 On the set of axes in your answer booklet, draw a line to represent the relationship between the distance
from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the age of the ocean floor bedrock. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for a U-shape or V-shape with the youngest age at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the
oldest ages farthest from the ridge.
Examples of 1-credit responses:
Note: Allow credit even if the oldest ages are not exactly at the same âoceanic bedrock ageâ level.
54. Base your answers to questions 54 through 56 on the photograph below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The photograph is of a rock sample composed of pebbles that have been cemented together.
54 Identify the name of the sedimentary rock. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for conglomerate.
55. 55 Identify the total possible range of particle diameters, in centimeters, for a particle to be classified as
a pebble. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for 0.2 cm to 6.4 cm.
56. 56 Describe the evidence from the photograph that supports the inference that the particles in this rock were
most likely transported by running water. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- Rounded pebbles usually indicate transportation by running water.
- Sediments tumbling or bouncing in a stream produce the round shapes.
- The particles are smooth and have round shapes.
57. Base your answers to questions 57 through 59 on the diagrams below and on your knowledge of
Earth science. The diagrams represent a model of the disintegration of a sample of the radioactive isotope
carbon-14 (14C).
57 Determine the number of carbon-14 atoms that would most likely remain at the end of the second
half-life. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for 4 or four.
58. 58 Identify the stable disintegration product that is produced when carbon-14 decays. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
59. 59 Identify the radioactive isotope that has a half-life that is approximately the same as the estimated age of
Earth, by using the Radioactive Decay Data table in the Earth Science Reference Tables. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
Note: Do not accept âuraniumâ alone because there are different isotopes of uranium.
60. Base your answers to questions 60 through 62 on the diagrams below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The diagrams represent drill core samples from two different locations (I and II). A drill core is
a cylinder of rock material removed from the bedrock. Letters A through J represent different rock layers. Some
layers contain index fossils. The rock layers shown have not been overturned.
60 Identify the geologic period when rock layer A was deposited. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for Ordovician Period.
Note: Do not accept âMiddle Ordovicianâ because that is an epoch.
61. 61 List the relative ages of rock layers D, E, F, and G by listing the letters from oldest to youngest. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for the correct order shown below.
62. 62 Identify two processes that formed the unconformities in these drill cores. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for two acceptable processes. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- uplift/emergence
- weathering
- erosion
- submergence/subsidence/sinking
- deposition/sedimentation/precipitation
- burial
63. Base your answers to questions 63 through 65 on the graph below and on your knowledge of Earth science.
The graph shows the discharge of the Delaware River at Barryville, New York, for a one-week period during
March 2004.
63 Identify the date shown on the graph when the river was most likely carrying the greatest amount of
sediment. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW3 [1] Allow 1 credit for March 11.
64. 64 State one possible cause for the increase in stream discharge on March 15. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- precipitation
- rain shower
- snowmelt
- increased runoff
- flooding
- increase in the volume of water in the stream
Note: Do not allow credit for âvelocity of waterâ or âincrease in water velocityâ because water
velocity is a result of an increase in water volume or discharge.
65. 65 The Delaware River flows out of the Catskills and into the Atlantic Ocean. Identify the general compass
direction toward which the Delaware River flows along the Pennsylvania - New York State border. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for southeast/SE or south/S or south southeast/SSE.
66.
Part C
Answer all questions in this part.
Directions (66 - 85): Record your answers in the spaces provided in your answer booklet. Some questions may
require the use of the 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
Base your answers to questions 66 through 68 on the topographic map below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The map shows an eroded drumlin at Chimney Bluffs State Park along the shoreline of Lake Ontario
east of Rochester, New York. Lines AB and CD are reference lines. Elevations are shown in feet.
66 Calculate the gradient along the line between points A and B in feet per mile. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for any value from 636 to 778 ft/mile.
67. 67 On the grid in your answer booklet, construct a topographic profile along line CD by plotting the elevation
of each contour line that crosses line CD. The elevations for points C and D have been plotted on the grid.
Connect all nine plots with a line from point C to point D to complete the profile. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit if the centers of all seven plots are within or touch the rectangles shown below and
all nine plots are correctly connected with a line, from C to D, that passes within or touches each
rectangle.
Note: It is recommended that an overlay of the same scale as the student answer booklet be used
to ensure reliability in rating.
Allow credit if the line misses a plot, but is still within or touches the rectangle.
68. 68 Describe one piece of evidence represented by the contour lines on the map that indicates the north side of
Chimney Bluffs is steep. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- The contour lines are close together on the north side of Chimney Bluffs.
- The spacing between the contour lines is small.
- There is a great change in elevation in a short distance on the north side.
69. Base your answers to questions 69 through 71 on the weather map below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The map shows the center of a low-pressure system (L). The location for Albany, New York, is shown.
69 The station model below represents the weather conditions for Albany, New York.
Complete the table in your answer booklet by indicating the weather conditions represented on the station
model for Albany, New York. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit if all four weather conditions are correctly recorded as shown below.
70. 70 Write the standard two-letter air-mass symbol to identify the air mass that normally forms over the Gulf of
Mexico. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for mT. Allow credit for either uppercase or lowercase letters.
Note: Do not allow credit if air-mass letters are reversed, such as Tm. For students who used the
Spanish edition, either exclusively or in conjunction with the English edition of the exam,
allow credit for the correct two-letter air-mass symbol as it appears in either the English or
Spanish 2011 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science.
71. 71 Identify one process that causes clouds to form in the moist air rising along the frontal boundaries of
the low-pressure system. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- condensation
- cooling
- expansion
- deposition/phase change directly from water vapor to ice
72. Base your answers to questions 72 through 74 on the passage and data table below and on your knowledge of
Earth science. The data table shows the monthly average high air temperatures, in degrees Fahrenheit (°F), and
monthly average snowfall, in inches (in), at the summit (top) of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.
Mount Washington
Mount Washington, located in the state of New Hampshire, is one of the highest
mountains east of the Mississippi River. This mountain, as well as many mountains across
upstate New York and the northeast, has deep-cut glacial valleys formed by continental
glaciers approximately 1.7 to 1.8 million years ago. Hurricane-force wind gusts are observed
at the summit of Mount Washington on the average of 110 days per year, including a record
wind speed of 231 miles per hour. It also receives very high levels of snow, averaging 282
inches (23.5 feet) of snow per year.
72 On the grid in your answer booklet, construct a line graph by plotting the average high air temperatures for
each month listed in the data table. Connect all twelve plots with a line. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW2 [1] Allow 1 credit if the centers of all twelve plots are within or touch the circles shown below and are
correctly connected with a line that passes within or touches each circle.
Note: It is recommended that an overlay of the same scale as the student answer booklet be used
to ensure reliability in rating.
Allow credit if the student-drawn line does not pass through the student plot points but is
still within or touches the circles.
Do not allow credit if the student makes any attempt to graph average snowfall on the
Monthly Average High Temperatures graph because the vertical axis is in degrees
Fahrenheit, not inches.
73. 73 Identify the climate factor that best explains why Mount Washington has relatively low air temperatures
throughout the year. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- elevation
- height above sea level
- high altitude
Note: Do not allow credit for âmountainâ or âtop of a mountainâ because this identifies the
location from which the data were taken but does not identify the climate factor affecting
this mountain that causes low air temperatures.
74. 74 State the name of the geologic epoch when continental glaciers last carved the valleys around Mount
Washington and across upstate New York. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for Pleistocene Epoch.
75. Base your answers to questions 75 through 78 on the table below and on your knowledge of Earth science.
The table shows the velocities, in kilometers per second (km/s), for several galaxies, represented by letters A,
B, C, D, and E, that are moving away from Earth. The vast majority of stars and galaxies in the universe are
moving away from our solar system. Scientific evidence indicates that the farther away a galaxy is, the faster it is
moving away.
75 List the galaxies in order from closest to Earth to farthest from Earth. [1]
Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for a correct list as shown below.
Note: Allow credit if the correct velocities are substituted for the letters.
76. 76 Identify the name of the theory for the formation of the universe that scientists developed after observing
that most galaxies are moving away from each other. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit for the Big Bang theory or the Big Bang.
77. 77 Identify the evidence scientists use to determine that a galaxy is moving away from Earth. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- The Doppler effect shows a red shift in light.
- Spectral lines are shifted toward the red end of the spectrum.
- Wavelengths of the light from the galaxies appear to be longer.
- Doppler effect
- red shift
Note: Do not allow credit for âcosmic background radiationâ because, even though this is
evidence for the Big Bang event, it is not used to determine that a galaxy is moving away
from Earth.
78. 78 A star in one of these galaxies has a surface temperature of 8000 K and a luminosity of 10. Identify the stage
and color of this star. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW[1] Allow 1 credit if both responses are acceptable.
Stage: main sequence or early stage
Color: white
79. Base your answers to questions 79 through 81 on the graph below and on your knowledge of Earth science.
The graph shows the altitude of the Sun for a 24-hour period on a certain day of the year at four different
latitudes.
79 Identify the date represented by the data shown on the graph. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- June 20
- June 21
- June 22
- summer solstice
80. 80 Identify the latitude that has the greatest intensity of insolation at approximately noon on this date, and
describe the evidence shown on the graph to support your answer. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit for 23.5° N or Tropic of Cancer and acceptable evidence. Acceptable evidence
includes, but is not limited to:
- The graph shows the altitude of the Sun is greatest at 23.5° N.
- Sun is highest in the sky.
- The Sunâs altitude is 90°.
- The Sun is directly overhead.
81. 81 Identify the compass direction toward which an observerâs shadow would extend if the observer is located
exactly at 90° N at noon on this date. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit for south.
82. Base your answers to questions 82 through 85 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science.
The diagram represents Earth in its orbit around the Sun and the Moon (M) in different positions in its orbit
around Earth. Letters A through D represent four positions of Earth in its orbit. Earth is closest to the Sun near
position D and farthest from the Sun near position B.
82 The photograph below shows the surface of the Moon as seen from Earth during the full moon phase.
Identify the lettered position of Earth and the Moon when this full moon phase can be observed, and state
the name of the eclipse that could occur at this position. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit for lettered position D and lunar eclipse.
83. 83 Identify the Northern Hemisphere season that is beginning at position A. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit for spring.
84. 84 Explain why the gravitational attraction between the Sun and Earth increases as Earth moves from
position C to position D. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- Earth is getting closer to the Sun.
- The distance between Earth and the Sun is decreasing.
- Earthâs orbit is elliptical, and position D is closer to the Sun.
85. 85 Describe one piece of evidence shown by the diagram that indicates this is a heliocentric model. [1] Answer: MODEL ANSWER GIVEN BELOW Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:
- The Sun is near the center of the diagram.
- Earth orbits the Sun.
- The small arrows by Earth indicate that Earth rotates.
Try the Quiz : Earth Science - New York Regents August 2019 Exam
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