1. Lab Practical Information
Regents Earth Science

2. When? Thursday All classes report to lab room either 240 or 239
Everyone
All classes report to lab room
either 240 or 239

3. Some Simple Rules Be ON TIME Do not be absent! READ DIRECTIONS
There is to be absolutely NO TALKING
If you choose to talk, your exam booklet will be taken from you
You will receive a 0 for the Regents grade
You will have to re-take the Regents Exam in August & possibly have to go to Summer School 

4. What is the Lab Practical?
First part of the Regents Exam
Test divided into 3 stations
Students are given 9 minutes per station

5. Station 1: Mineral and Rock Identification
Using a mineral identification kit, the student will determine the properties of
1 Mineral – luster, breakage, hardness, streak
2 Rocks will be classified as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. Justification must also be given

6. Mineral Properties Luster Cleavage or Fracture Streak Hardness
metallic or nonmetallic—glassy, dull, pearly
Cleavage or Fracture
are the broken sides of the mineral semi-smooth surfaces, or non-smooth broken surfaces?
Streak
using white streak plate to see color of powdered mineral
Hardness
using glass scratch plate – hard scratches glass soft does not

7. Minerals: Luster- Metallic
HEMATITE
GALENA
Look for a reflective surface (similar to a mirror)
Most minerals are nonmetallic
PYRITE

8. Minerals: Luster- Non-Metallic
CALCITE
OLIVINE
Look for earthy, dull, white, or non-reflective surfaces. Check the streak- if there is any streak at all, it will be colorless to white or yellow
SULFUR
MICA

9. Breakage
Fracture
Uneven breakage
Cleavage
Breaks along even surfaces

10. Hardness
Soft
Doesn’t scratch glass
Hard
Scratches glass

11. Luster?
Cleavage?
Streak?
Hardness?
Mineral Name?

12. Identifying the Letter
On the practical, you will not need to give the name of the mineral. Instead, you will be giving the letter that the mineral has been assigned

14. Rock Properties and Classification
Classify 2 different rock samples
Sedimentary, Igneous, Metamorphic
State a reason for your classification

15. EXAMPLES Rock Type: Sedimentary Reason: Contains fossils
Rock Type: Metamorphic
Reason: Foliation

16. Igneous Rocks
Basalt
Obsidian
Pumice
Granite

17. Igneous Rocks
Interconnected crystals in random order- THESE ARE NOT FRAGS OF OTHER ROCKS- THEY ARE MINERALS!!!!
Course texture
Glassy Texture
Gas Pockets/Vesicular -> -> -> 

19. Sedimentary Rocks
Layered sediments
Limestone
Fossil

20. Sedimentary Rocks Clastic/Fragmental Sand Particles Pebbles Within The
The diagram to the right
Shows a close-up of
Sandstone. You can see the individual
Sand grains. You will have a magnifying
Glass. USE IT! 

21. Fossils (fossils are destroyed in metamorphic and igneous rocks) REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR SHELL FRAGMENTS- fossils may not be whole

22. Sedimentary Rocks: Bedding or layering of sediments
Rounded grains, clasts, fragments or sediments
Fossils
Contain fragments of other rocks

24. Metamorphic Rocks
Quartzite
Gneiss
Slate
Schist

25. Metamorphic Rocks
Foliation

26. Banding (Banding = GNEISS STRIPES!)
Mineral Alignment

27. Non foliated crystals

28. Metamorphic Rocks: Multiple-mineral composition
Interconnected mineral crystals WITH layering (foliation)
foliation
- banding
Stretched pebbles
A high percent of mica minerals

30. Station 2: Locating an Epicenter
Find arrival times of p wave and s wave using seismograph
Find difference between p wave and s wave
Find distance
Draw two circles on the map and mark the epicenter

31. 2:33:00
2:35:30
2:35:30 – 2:33:00 =
00:02:30

33. Earthquakes and Epicenters
lag time:
6 min

34. Earthquakes and Epicenters
Lag time:
6 minutes

35. Earthquakes and Epicenters
Lag time:
6 minutes

36. Earthquakes and Epicenters
Lag time:
6 minutes

37. Earthquakes and Epicenters
Lag time:
6 minutes
4,400 km

38. Earthquakes and Epicenters
To locate the earthquake’s epicenter, a minimum of three seismic stations are needed
With one station, there are many possible epicenters
Station 1

39. Earthquakes and Epicenters
With two stations, there are only two possible epicenters
Station 2
Station 1

40. Earthquakes and Epicenters
With three stations, there is only one possible epicenters
Station 3
Station 2
Station 1

41. Earthquakes and Epicenters
With three stations, there is only one possible epicenters
Station 3
Station 2
Station 1

42. San Francisco
2,600

43. San Francisco
2,600

44. Denver
2,000 km

46. Wink
1,100 km

48. Now place an X on the Epicenter

49. Now place an X on the Epicenter

50. Station 3: Constructing and Analyzing an Asteriod’s Elliptical Orbit
Using two pins, a looped string, a metric ruler, and a calculator, the student will construct an ellipse, determine its eccentricity, and apply this information to our solar system.

51. Eccentricity A number indicating the roundness of an ellipse.
Eccentricity = Distance Between Foci
Length of Major Axis

52. Drawing an ellipse
First you will place your thumbtacks into the letters which are assigned to you.
They will be lined up
F E D C B A A B C D E F

53. Drawing an ellipse
For example if you are given C as your foci you will place your thumbtack there.
They will be lined up
F E D C B A A B C D E F

54. Drawing an ellipse
For example if you are given C as your foci you will place your thumbtack there.
They will be lined up
F E D C B A A B C D E F

55. You can make an ellipse with 2 tacks and a string
You can make an ellipse with 2 tacks and a string. The tacks are the “foci”, and if you put them further apart, the ellipse is more “eccentric” (one tack makes a circle).

56. Elliptical Orbits and Eccentricity
Eccentricity = distance between foci
length of major axis
distance between foci
length of major axis
Eccentricity is:
Never less than zero or greater than 1
Unitless
Rounded to the nearest thousandths (0.000)

57. Elliptical Orbits and Eccentricity
Eccentricity = distance between foci
length of major axis
distance between foci s
length of major axis

59. Please Remember Measure to the nearest tenth! 0.1
Calculate e to the nearest thousandth!

60. Elliptical Orbits and Eccentricity
Eccentricity = distance between foci
length of major axis
distance between foci s
length of major axis
distance between foci = cm =
length of major axis cm

61. Please Remember
Perfect circle
Straight line
e = 1
e = 0

63. The exam will give you the name of a planet
The exam will give you the name of a planet. You are to look up the eccentricity of the orbit of this planet on the reference table and write this number in your lab- be sure to keep it three numbers after the decimal!
Compare your eccentricity to the eccentricity of the planet
If your number is closer to 0 than the planet, it is less elliptical than the planet
If your number is closer to 1 than the planet, than your ellipse is more elliptical
You will need to support your answer by saying your ellipse is either closer to zero or closer to one.

64. REMEMBER:
Eccentricity of a circle = 0 (least eccentric)
Eccentricity of a line = 1 (most eccentric)
Remember: is closer to zero than because there is a number other than zero in the tenth’s place in the second number
ALSO: If the number on your calculator after you divide is , be sure to round up to 0.024(5 or greater, round up)
If the number on your calculator is , then keep the third number the same: (less than 5, keep the number the same)

65. Be sure to Read & Measure ACCURATELY
Remember: NO TALKING
Be on time!
Do not be absent!