EARTH SCIENCE

Astronomy Regents Questions

Name: _______________________________________________________________ Period:_______

January 2016

4 Which characteristic of the planets in our solar system increases as the distance from the Sun increases?

(1) equatorial diameter (2) eccentricity of orbit (3) period of rotation (4) period of revolution

6 The diagram below represents the orbital position of Earth on October 21.

7 The diagram below represents eight positions of the Moon in its orbit.

Why are high tides on Earth greatest when the Moon is in position A and in position E?

(1) The Moon is closer to the Sun. (3) The Moon, the Sun, and Earth are aligned.

(2) The Moon is closer to Earth. (4) The Moon is in the same phase at both locations.

Which Northern Hemisphere season is

occurring when Earth reaches position X?

(1) winter

(2) spring

(3) summer

(4) fall

8 The model below represents the apparent path of the Sun across the sky on March 21 as seen by an observer on

Earth.

9 According to astronomers, the age of the universe is estimated to be

(1) 1.3 billion years (2) 4.6 billion years (3) 7.9 billion years (4) 13.8 billion years

10 Light from distant galaxies most likely shows a

(1) red shift, indicating that the universe is expanding (3) blue shift, indicating that the universe is expanding

(2) red shift, indicating that the universe is contracting (4) blue shift, indicating that the universe is contracting

28 Which graph best indicates the densities of the planets in our solar system?

Base your answers to questions 41 through 43 on the cross-sectional model below and the table on the

following page, and on your knowledge of Earth science. The model shows a reddish-orange supergiant star.

The layers in the model indicate where new chemical elements are forming from existing elements as

temperature and pressure conditions increase with depth within the star. In each layer, atomic nuclei of the

existing chemical element combine to form the new elements shown to the right of the arrow. The table shows

the chemical symbols and names of selected elements in the star.

At which latitude is the observer located?

(1) 90° N

(2) 42° N

(3) 23.5° N

(4) 0°

41 Which process represented in the model is occurring in each layer of this star to produce the new

chemical elements?

(1) contact metamorphism (2) internal crystallization (3) nuclear fusion (4) radioactive decay

42 What is the approximate surface temperature of this star during this stage of development?

(1) 3,200 K (2) 6,000 K (3) 10,500 K (4) 18,000 K

43 The luminosity of this star can best be described as

(1) less than the luminosity of the Sun

(2) greater than the luminosity of most stars in the main sequence

(3) approximately the same luminosity as a white dwarf

(4) approximately the same luminosity as Aldebaran

Base your answers to questions 57 through 61 on the data table below and on your knowledge of Earth

science. The table shows the distances from Earth to the Moon for certain days during December 2010.

The percent of the Moon illuminated by the Sun as seen from Earth is also given.

57 On the grid below, the Earth–Moon distance data from December 2 to December 12 have

already been plotted. Complete the line graph by plotting the Earth–Moon distances from December 14

to December 30. Continue the line from December 12 through all nine of your plotted points. [1]

58 Explain how the Earth–Moon distance data support the inference that the Moon’s orbit is an ellipse. [1]

59 On which date shown in the data table was the gravitational attraction between the Moon and Earth the

greatest? [1]

60 Identify one date during December 2010 when the Moon was at its mean distance from Earth as indicated

on the Earth Science Reference Tables. [1]

61 A lunar eclipse occurred during December 2010. On which date did this eclipse most likely occur? [1]

August 2015

1 Which characteristics best describe the star 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

2 Which motion occurs at a rate of approximately one degree per day?

(1) the Moon revolving around Earth (3) Earth revolving around the Sun

(2) the Moon rotating on its axis (4) Earth rotating on its axis

3 If the tilt of Earth’s axis were increased from 23.5° to 30°, summers in New York State would become

(1) cooler, and winters would become cooler (3) warmer, and winters would become cooler

(2) cooler, and winters would become warmer (4) warmer, and winters would become warmer

4 Which object in space emits light because it releases energy produced by nuclear fusion?

(1) Earth’s Moon (2) Halley’s comet (3) Venus (4) Polaris

6 A major piece of evidence supporting the Big Bang theory is the observation that wavelengths of light from stars in

distant galaxies show a

(1) redshift, appearing to be shorter (3) blueshift, appearing to be shorter

(2) redshift, appearing to be longer (4) blueshift, appearing to be longer

7 During the month of January, at which location in New York State is the Sun lowest in the sky at solar noon?

(1) Massena (2) Niagara Falls (3) Utica (4) New York City

25 Which diagram best represents the correct

orientation of the North Pole [NP] as Earth revolves

around theSun?

[Diagrams are not drawn to scale.]

27 The symbols below represent two planets.

Which combination of planet masses and distances produces the greatest gravitational force between the

planets?

Base your answers to questions 44 through 47 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth

science. The diagram represents the Moon at four positions, labeled A, B, C, and D, in its orbit around Earth.

The position of the full-Moon phase is labeled.

44 Approximately how many days (d) does it take for the Moon to move from the phase shown at position A

to the full-Moon phase?

(1) 7.4 d (2) 14.7 d (3) 27.3 d (4) 29.5 d

45 Which phase of the Moon could be observed from New York State when the Moon is at position C?

46 The same side of the Moon always faces Earth because the Moon’s period of revolution

(1) is longer than the Moon’s period of rotation (3) is longer than Earth’s period of rotation

(2) equals the Moon’s period of rotation (4) equals Earth’s period of rotation

47 Solar and lunar eclipses rarely happen during a cycle of phases because the

(1) Moon’s orbit is circular and Earth’s orbit is elliptical

(2) Moon’s orbit is elliptical and Earth’s orbit is elliptical

(3) plane of the Moon’s orbit is different from the plane of Earth’s orbit

(4) plane of the Moon’s orbit is the same as the plane of Earth’s orbit

Base your answers to questions 55 through 58 on the graph below and on your knowledge

of Earth science. The graph shows planet equatorial diameters and planet mean distances from the Sun.

Neptune is not shown.

55 Place an X on the graph to indicate where Neptune would be plotted, based on its mean distance from the Sun and

its equatorial diameter. [1]

57 Compared to the periods of revolution and periods of rotation of the terrestrial planets, how are the

periods of revolution and periods of rotation for the Jovian planets different? [1]

58 The center of the asteroid belt is approximately 404 million kilometers from the Sun. State the name of the

planet that is closest to the center of the asteroid belt. [1]

June 2015 1 Compared to the terrestrial planets, the Jovian planets are

(1) larger and less dense (3) closer to the Sun and less rocky

(2) smaller and more dense (4) farther from the Sun and more rocky

2 Earth, the Sun, and billions of stars are contained within

(1) a single constellation (2) the Milky Way galaxy (3) the solar system (4) a giant cloud of gas

20 The diagram below represents some constellations and one position of Earth in its orbit around the Sun.

These constellations are visible to an observer on Earth at different times of the year.

56 The diagram below represents Earth drawn to

a scale of 1 cm = 2000 km. Centimeter markings

along the equatorial diameter of Earth are also

shown on the diagram.

On the diagram, shade in the space between the

centimeter markings to represent the equatorial

diameter of Earth’s Moon at this same scale. [1]

When Earth is located in the orbital position shown, two constellations that are both visible to an observer on Earth at

midnight are

(1) Libra and Virgo (2) Gemini and Taurus (3) Aquarius and Capricorn (4) Cancer and Sagittarius

Base your answers to questions 39 through 42 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth

science. The diagram represents two possible sequences in the evolution of stars.

39 What causes clouds of dust and gas to form a protostar?

(1) magnetism (2) gravitational attraction (3) expansion of matter (4) cosmic background radiation

40 Which property primarily determines whether a giant star or a supergiant star will form?

(1) mass (2) color (3) shape (4) composition

41 Which table includes data that are characteristic of the surface temperature and luminosity of some white

dwarf stars?

42 Which process generates the energy that is released by stars?

(1) nuclear fusion (2) thermal conduction (3) convection currents (4) radioactive decay

54 Identify the motion of Earth that causes these stars to appear to move in a circular path. [1]

55 Determine the number of hours it took to record the star trails labeled on the diagram. [1]

56 The diagram below represents Earth as viewed from space. The dashed line indicates Earth’s axis.

Some latitudes are labeled.

On the diagram, draw an arrow that points from the North Pole toward Polaris. [1]

57 Record, to the nearest whole degree, the altitude of Polaris when it is viewed from the top of New York

State’s Mt. Marcy. [1]

Base your answers to questions 54 through 57

on the diagram at the right and on your

knowledge of Earth science. The diagram

represents a time-exposure photograph taken

by aiming a camera at Polaris in the night

sky and leaving the shutter open for a period

of time to record star trails. The angular arcs

(star trails) show the apparent motions of

some stars.

Base your answers to questions 77 and 78 on the diagram below, which represents an exaggerated model of

the shape of Earth’s orbit, and on your knowledge of Earth science. The positions of Earth in its orbit on

December 21 and June 21 are indicated. The positions of perihelion (when Earth is closest to the Sun) and

aphelion (when Earth is farthest from the Sun) are also indicated. Both perihelion and aphelion occur

approximately two weeks after the dates shown.

77 How many months after Earth’s perihelion position does Earth’s aphelion position occur? [1]

78 Explain why warm summer temperatures occur in New York State when Earth is at aphelion. [1]

Base your answers to questions 83 through 85 on the diagrams and tables below and on your knowledge of

Earth science. Each diagram represents the Moon’s orbital position and each table lists times of high and low

tides and tide heights, in meters, at New York City for the date shown.

83 Determine the length of time between the two high tides shown for May 13. [1]

84 On the diagram below, shade the portion of the Moon that is in darkness to observers in

New York City on May 13. [1]

85 On the diagram below, place an X on the Moon’s orbit to represent the location of the

Moon on May 28. [1]