Earth and Space Sciences Regents Examination Rating Guide - June 2025

This flashcard set covers key Earth and Space Science concepts derived from the June 2025 Regents Rating Guide, including stellar classification, orbital mechanics, climate change metrics, hydrology, and plate tectonics.

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

A stellar model that plots stars according to their spectral class, absolute magnitude, and temperature in Kelvin ($K$), categorizing them into groups like Main sequence, Giants, Supergiants, and White dwarfs.

Eccentricity (Orbital)

A measurement of how much a planet's orbit deviates from a perfect circle; for example, Mercury’s orbit is described as more elliptical than that of Venus.

Kepler's Second Law (Planetary Speed)

The principle that a planet, such as Mercury, travels faster in its orbit when it is closer to the Sun.

Carbon Sequestration (Trees)

The process by which trees take in carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) during photosynthesis and store carbon in their structure and the soil, preventing it from entering the atmosphere.

Projected CO2 equivalent (Year 2100)

A climate metric with a projected value ranging from $795$ to $805$ for the year 2100.

Global Surface Temperature Change (2100)

The estimated change in temperature by the year 2100, which rounds to a value of $2.4$.

Sunspots

Regions of cooler temperatures on the surface of the Sun that occur in approximately $11$-year cycles; a decrease in their number is inferred to decrease Earth’s temperatures.

Salt Front

The leading edge of salt water in a river; it moves closer to the Atlantic Ocean when increased fresh water from rain events enters the Hudson River.

Uranium-238

A radioactive isotope used to determine the age of meteorites and Earth; a sample with $50$% remaining indicates an age of $4.5$ billion years.

Photosynthetic Microorganisms (Evolutionary Role)

Oceanic protists and eukaryotes that produced oxygen, allowing for the evolution of animal life and increased rates of weathering.

tCO2e

Total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions used to compare vehicles; Battery Electric Vehicles emit $41$, Hybrid Electric Vehicles emit $48$, and Internal Combustion Engines emit $57$.

Saltwater Intrusion

The movement of salt water into freshwater forested wetlands or drinking water wells, which can kill trees and negatively impact human water quality.

Temporal Scale (Land Subsidence)

The time frame of land sinking; it occurs over seconds to hours during earthquakes but takes years to centuries for the development of ghost forests.

Thornbush Overgrowth

A habitat change where thornbush populations increase due to the removal of mature trees by humans, which inhibits cheetahs from finding adequate food.

Bushblok Production

A human intervention aimed at benefiting cheetahs by removing thornbush overgrowth to restore hunting behaviors.

Pacific Plate Movement

The tectonic movement directed toward the northwest, evidenced by islands that get older with increasing distance from a hotspot.

Coastal Mitigation Strategies

Structural solutions such as sandbags, walls, or rocks used to prevent flooding and erosion caused by sea level rise or wave action.