The NY Earth Science Regents: Format, Reference Tables & How to Study
The Physical Setting/Earth Science Regents is one of New York's most diagram-rich science exams — it rewards students who can read maps, charts, and cross-sections quickly and who know the Earth Science Reference Tables inside out. Here is exactly what to expect and how to prepare.
What it is — and the lab requirement
The exam is given by the New York State Education Department at the end of a year-long Earth Science course. One detail catches students off guard: to even sit the exam, you must first complete a minimum of 1,200 minutes of hands-on laboratory work with satisfactory written lab reports on file. No labs, no exam — so keep up with them all year.
How the exam is structured
The written test runs three hours and is worth about 85 points, split across several parts:
- Part A and Part B-1 — roughly 50 multiple-choice questions on core content.
- Part B-2 and Part C — constructed-response questions where you read data, label diagrams, calculate, and explain in writing.
- Part D — a lab-based component built around hands-on skills (mineral identification, contour maps, and similar stations).
So a little over half the exam is multiple-choice. Those points are the fastest to lock in, which is why focused multiple-choice practice moves your score most efficiently.
Your biggest score lever: the Reference Tables
Every student is given the Earth Science Reference Tables (ESRT) — a booklet of charts and formulas you may use during the exam. Students who know it cold have a real advantage. It contains, among much else:
- The key formulas — eccentricity = distance between foci ÷ length of major axis, gradient = change in field value ÷ distance, rate of change, percent deviation, and density.
- Charts for identifying minerals and rocks, planetary data, properties of water, and dewpoint / relative-humidity tables.
- The geologic history of New York State and a generalized landscape-regions map.
Practice using the ESRT, not just memorizing facts — many questions are really asking, "can you find and apply the right chart?"
What is tested
The content falls into a handful of big areas:
- Astronomy and Earth's motions — seasons, eclipses, eccentric orbits, the expanding universe.
- Mapping and Earth's dimensions — topographic maps, latitude and longitude, gradient, Earth's true shape.
- Meteorology — air pressure, station models, fronts, humidity, and the water cycle.
- Minerals, rocks and plate tectonics — the rock cycle, plate boundaries, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
- Surface processes and landscapes — weathering, erosion, deposition, and how landforms develop.
A smart way to study
- Learn the ESRT first. Spend an afternoon mapping out every chart so you can find anything in seconds.
- Drill the diagrams. Eccentricity ellipses, station models, contour maps, and geologic cross-sections show up again and again.
- Practice multiple-choice under time, then review why each answer is right or wrong — that review is where scores actually climb.
- Aim well above a raw 65. Because of the raw-to-scale conversion, a comfortable margin protects you on exam day.
NY Regents Quiz offers NYS-aligned Earth Science multiple-choice practice — including the diagram questions this exam loves — with an instant explanation on every item and full-length mock exams for timing. Start with free Earth Science questions.
NY Regents Quiz is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with the New York State Education Department. Exam format and requirements can change between administrations — always confirm current details with your teacher or school counselor.