123 Ways To Pass The Earth Science Regents Part I

1. The true shape of the Earth is a slightly oblate spheroid. The Earth is not round. It is bulging at the equator, flattened at the poles.

2. The earth’s true shape is best confirmed by satellite photos.

3. The lithosphere is the thin solid layer of crustal dirt and rocks.

4. The hydrosphere is the thin layer of water.

5. The atmosphere is the thin layer of gasses that surround the Earth.

6. As depth within the earth increases, temperature, pressure and density increase.

7. The equatorial diameter of the earth is slightly larger than the polar diameter.

8. The altitude of Polaris equals your latitude.

9. The main line of latitude is the equator.

10. Latitude lines run east to west, and measure the distance north and south of the equator.

11. The main longitude line is the prime meridian.

12. Longitude lines run north to south, and measure the distance east and west of the prime meridian.

13. The closer the isolines/contour lines/isotherms/isobars, the steeper the slope (gradient).

14. Contour lines bend upstream.

15. Water flows from high to low.

16. In a depression the value of the first tic line is the same as the line before it. 140

17. Porosity is the percentage of pore space. Does not depend on particle size. (Many small pores = few large pores) Same porosity

18. Permeability is the rate at which water can flow through. (Larger particles = greater speed) Less More Permeable

19. Capillarity is water moving upward in small spaces.

20. Minerals are identifies by physical and chemical properties.

21. The properties of minerals depend on the internal arrangement of atoms.

22. The building blocks of rocks are minerals

23. Rocks are grouped by how they are formed.

24. Igneous rocks form by cooling and solidification of magma.

25. Crystal size in igneous rocks depend on the rate of cooling. Cools fast = Small or no crystals Cools slow = Large Crystals Cooled fastCooled Slow

26. Intrusive igneous rocks form slowly inside the earth. (Large crystals)

27. Extrusive igneous rock form quickly on the earth’s surface. (Small or no crystals) (Gas pockets)

28. Continents are thick, felsic, granite.

29. Ocean bottoms are thin, mafic, basalt.

30. Sedimentary rock form 3 ways: A. Compacting & cementing of particles B. Precipitation & evaporation from water. C. Fossil remains A B C

31. Sedimentary rocks form at or near the earth’s surface by the forces of weathering, erosion and deposition.

32. Fossils are found in sedimentary rocks.

33. Metamorphic rocks form by heat and pressure on pre-existing rocks.

34. The surface of metamorphic rocks show banding and distortion. Gneiss

35. Contact metamorphism occurs when magma, lava intrudes into pre-existing rocks and changes them at the point of contact.

36. Igneous intrusions are younger than the rocks they are found in.

37. Earthquakes and volcanoes occur together in specific zones such as the Ring of Fire/ Mid Atlantic Ridge.

38.The speed of a seismic wave depends on the density of the earth layer. (The denser the material, the faster the wave)

39. P-Waves are primary, fast, compressional, and can go through anything.

40. S-Waves are slower, secondary, shear and only go through solids. (Stopped at outer core)

41. We infer that the outer core is liquid because S-Waves stop there.

42. The Richter scale measures intensity.

The Mercalli scale measures damage.

44. To accurately pinpoint an earthquake epicenter, we need 3 seismic stations.

45. Convergent plates move together. (Continent - continent creates mountains)

46. Divergent plates move apart. (Mid-Ocean ridge creates new crust)

47. Transform plates slide along each other. (San Andreas Fault)

48. Subduction occurs when dense ocean plates sink under less dense continental plates forming a trench.

49. Pangea is when all the continents were once one land mass in the Triassic.

50. Convection currents in the mantle move the tectonic plates.