🌍 New York Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents Exam Past Papers (2012-2026)
Access the complete collection of official New York State Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents examination past papers, answer booklets, scoring keys, rating guides, and conversion charts from January 2012 to January 2026. Essential resources for students studying geology, meteorology, astronomy, and environmental science.
📋 Exam Format: The Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents consists of multiple parts completed over 3 hours. Part A includes approximately 35 multiple-choice questions. Part B is divided into Part B-1 (short-answer questions) and Part B-2 (extended constructed-response). Part C features open-ended questions requiring detailed explanations. The Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Earth Science are provided during the exam.
📚 Complete Past Papers Collection
🎯 Key Content Areas in Earth Science
Astronomy & Space Science
15-20% of contentSolar system, Earth-Moon-Sun relationships, seasons, tides, celestial motion, stars and their properties, stellar evolution, galaxies, universe, cosmology, and coordinate systems.
Meteorology & Weather
15-20% of contentAtmosphere composition and structure, atmospheric moisture, clouds, precipitation, air pressure, winds, weather systems, fronts, weather maps, forecasting, severe weather, and climate patterns.
Geology & Earth's Structure
20-25% of contentEarth's interior layers, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, minerals, rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic), rock cycle, and geologic history.
Surface Processes & Landscapes
15-20% of contentWeathering, erosion, deposition, mass wasting, stream dynamics, glaciers, groundwater, soil formation, landscape evolution, and topographic maps.
Earth's History & Fossils
10-15% of contentGeologic time scale, relative and absolute dating, index fossils, radiometric dating, uniformitarianism, catastrophism, evolution of life, and major events in Earth history.
Water & Hydrosphere
10-15% of contentWater cycle, water budget, ocean currents, ocean zones, wave action, tides, watersheds, groundwater systems, water table, and water resources.
Energy in Earth Systems
Throughout examSolar radiation, electromagnetic spectrum, energy transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), heat budget, greenhouse effect, albedo, and energy sources (renewable and nonrenewable).
Environmental Science & Resources
10-15% of contentNatural hazards, human impact on Earth systems, pollution, resource management, conservation, sustainability, climate change, and environmental decision-making.
📖 How to Use These Past Papers Effectively
- Master the Reference Tables: The Earth Science Reference Tables (ESRT) are essential. Know how to read every chart, diagram, and data table. Practice locating information quickly.
- Practice with timed conditions: Complete full exams within the 3-hour time limit. Earth Science exams require extensive use of reference tables, so develop efficient lookup strategies.
- Focus on data interpretation: Many questions require analyzing graphs, maps, diagrams, and data tables. Practice extracting and applying information from visual representations.
- Show all work on calculations: For Part B and C questions, clearly show formulas, substitutions with units, and step-by-step calculations. Partial credit is available for correct methods.
- Learn to read topographic and weather maps: Map interpretation is a major skill tested on Earth Science exams. Practice with contour maps, weather station models, and synoptic weather maps.
- Use the ESRT for every practice exam: Don't try to memorize data from the tables. Instead, become expert at finding information quickly and understanding how to use it.
- Review rating guides thoroughly: Study how points are awarded for constructed-response questions. Understand what constitutes a complete, well-supported answer.
- Track your weak areas: After each practice exam, identify topics where you struggled. Focus your review on those specific areas using the Reference Tables and your class notes.
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