The University of the State of New York THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Albany, New York 12234 www.nysed.

gov

Reference Tables for

Physical Setting/EARTH SCIENCE
Radioactive Decay Data

Specific Heats of Common Materials

RADIOACTIVE DISINTEGRATION HALF-LIFE

(years)
ISOTOPE
Carbon-14

14

Potassium-40

40

14

5.7 10

40

Ar

1.3 10

40

Ca

Uranium-238

238

206

Rubidium-87

87

87

Rb

Pb

4.5 10

Sr

4.9 10

10

Equations
Eccentricity =
Gradient =

distance between foci

length of major axis

SPECIFIC HEAT
(Joules/gram C)

Liquid water
Solid water (ice)
Water vapor
Dry air
Basalt
Granite
Iron
Copper
Lead

4.18
2.11
2.00
1.01
0.84
0.79
0.45
0.38
0.13

Properties of Water

change in field value

distance

Rate of change =

MATERIAL

Heat energy gained during melting . . . . . . . . . . 334 J/g

Heat energy released during freezing . . . . . . . . 334 J/g

change in value
time

Heat energy gained during vaporization . . . . . 2260 J/g

Heat energy released during condensation . . . 2260 J/g

mass
Density =
volume

Density at 3.98C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0 g/mL

Average Chemical Composition

of Earths Crust, Hydrosphere, and Troposphere
ELEMENT
(symbol)
Oxygen (O)
Silicon (Si)
Aluminum (Al)
Iron (Fe)
Calcium (Ca)
Sodium (Na)
Magnesium (Mg)
Potassium (K)
Nitrogen (N)
Hydrogen (H)
Other

HYDROSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE

Percent by mass

CRUST
Percent by volume

Percent by volume

Percent by volume

46.10
28.20
8.23
5.63
4.15
2.36
2.33
2.09

94.04
0.88
0.48
0.49
1.18
1.11
0.33
1.42

33.0

21.0

78.0
0.91

0.07

2011 EDITION
This edition of the Earth Science Reference Tables should be used in the
classroom beginning in the 201112 school year. The first examination for
which these tables will be used is the January 2012 Regents Examination in
Physical Setting/Earth Science.

66.0
1.0

1.0

Eurypterus remipes

New York State Fossil

Lake Erie

Ap
p

Grenville Province
(Highlands)

at
Pl

u
ea

(
Key

)
ds
n
la
p
U

Tug Hill
Plateau

International boundary

State boundary

Landscape region boundary

ds

Adirondack
Mountains

Lo

an
wl

The Catskills

e
nc

Major geographic province boundary

Allegheny Plateau

Erie-Ontario Lowlands
(Plains)

Lake Ontario

a
t. L

wr

Interior
Lowlands

Generalized Landscape Regions of New York State

Interior Lowlands

ala
c
h
ia
n

Champlain Lowlands

ew
En
(H gla
i
gh nd
l
P
a
nd ro
v
N
0

20 40 60
Kilometers

80

Miles
0 10 20 30 40 50

tic
n
a
l
At

W
S

e
lain
P
l
a
st
Coa

nds
ighla
H
n
o
H uds
rong
tan P
t
a
h
Man

Huds
o nM
o
h
a
w
k Lo
wlands
Taco
n
i
c
M
ounta
ins

N
Lo ewa
w
l
an rk
ds

in
c
s)

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

79

JAMESTOWN

ERIE

BUFFALO

NIAGARA FALLS

78

78

77

SYRACUSE

limestones, shales, sandstones, and dolostones

CAMBRIAN and EARLY ORDOVICIAN sandstones and dolostones

moderately to intensely metamorphosed east of the Hudson River
CAMBRIAN and ORDOVICIAN (undifferentiated) quartzites, dolostones, marbles, and schists
intensely metamorphosed; includes portions of the Taconic Sequence and Cortlandt Complex
TACONIC SEQUENCE sandstones, shales, and slates
slightly to intensely metamorphosed rocks of CAMBRIAN through MIDDLE ORDOVICIAN ages
MIDDLE PROTEROZOIC gneisses, quartzites, and marbles
Lines are generalized structure trends.
MIDDLE PROTEROZOIC anorthositic rocks

ORDOVICIAN
CAMBRIAN

74

NEW YORK
CITY

41

RS
EY

Intensely metamorphosed rocks

(regional metamorphism about 1,000 m.y.a.)

JE

NE

KINGSTON

SLIDE MT.

ALBANY

R iv e r

Dominantly
sedimentary
origin

75

wk

MT. MARCY

74

Dominantly
metamorphosed
rocks

Moha

Rive r

}
}

UTICA

OLD FORGE

MASSENA

are

CRETACEOUS and PLEISTOCENE (Epoch) weakly consolidated to unconsolidated gravels, sands, and clays
LATE TRIASSIC and EARLY JURASSIC conglomerates, red sandstones, red shales, basalt, and diabase (Palisades sill)
PENNSYLVANIAN and MISSISSIPPIAN conglomerates, sandstones, and shales
DEVONIAN
limestones, shales, sandstones, and conglomerates
SILURIAN also contains salt, gypsum, and hematite.
SILURIAN

76

Susquehanna

BINGHAMTON

ITHACA

P E N N S Y L V A N I A

77

WATERTOWN

76

OSWEGO

LAKES

44

ELMIRA

FINGER

ROCHESTER

LAKE ONTARIO

elevation 75 m

modified from
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM
1989

75

law

GEOLOGIC PERIODS AND ERAS IN NEW YORK

42

LAKE

elevation 175 m

43

79

ar a River
ag
Ni

e
nc

er
iv

Generalized Bedrock Geology of New York State

Ge

r
ve
Ri
ee
ne
s

t.

La
w

re
R

R iv e r

73
45

PLATTSBURGH

AIN
MPL

44

CH
A

43

20

40

60

20 40 60 80
Kilometers
Kilometers

80

Miles
Miles
20 30 40 50
0 100 2010 30
40 50

7330'

41
72

N
E

ATLANTIC OCEAN

UND

4030'
73

D
ISLAN
LONG

RIVERHEAD

ND SO
ISLA
G
73
N
41
LO

42

LAKE

R
r
iv
e

on
ds
Hu
Hu ds on

VERMONT
MASSACHUSETTS

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

CONNECTICUT

45

De

Rive r

Surface Ocean Currents

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

Mi
d

Eurasian
Plate

n
ia
ou
nd
I
the
st e
e
as
g
t
hw Rid
t
Ind
u
ia n
So
Ridg
e

a
Tr ria n a
e n ch

Fiji Plate

st
Ea

Convergent plate boundary

(subduction zone)

subducting
plate

overriding
plate

Antarctic
Plate

Nazca
Plate

Sandwich
Plate

Mantle
hot spot

Bouvet
Hot Spot

St. Helena
Hot Spot

African
Plate

Eurasian
Plate

Iceland
Hot Spot

Complex or uncertain
plate boundary

Scotia
Plate

Canary
Islands
Hot Spot

Mi
d
At
la
n
t
i
cR
idg
e

South
American
Plate

an
ibbe
Car late
P

Pe

Galapagos
Hot Spot

Yellowstone
Hot Spot

Cocos
Plate

Easter Island
Hot Spot

Pacific
Plate

Hawaii
Hot Spot

San Andreas
Fault

Juan de
Fuca Plate

Divergent plate boundary

(usually broken by transform
faults along mid-ocean ridges)

Tasman
Hot Spot

To n g a
Tr e n c h

North American
Plate

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Tectonic Plates

h
Aleutian Trenc

Indian-Australian
Plate

Philippine
Plate

Transform plate boundary

(transform fault)

NOTE: Not all mantle hot spots, plates, and

boundaries are shown.

Relative motion at
plate boundary

Antarctic
Plate

Key

frican Rif
st A

Ea

ian
ab
Ar late
P
idge

dian Ridge
-In

Pa
cifi
cR

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

hile Tren
u-C
ch

Rock Cycle in Earths Crust

r
nd/o
na
tio ation
c
pa ent
om em
C

Relationship of Transported
Particle Size to Water Velocity

Depo
s
and B ition
uria
l

100.0
Boulders
25.6

r Pressure
t and/o
Hea tamorphism
e
M

IGNEOUS
ROCK

Sand
0.01

0.006

Silt

0.001

Clay

at

0.0001

1000
500

100
50

li

10
5

So

ic
di f

1
0.5

MAGMA

0.2

0.1
0.05

l ti n

Pebbles

0.1

0.01

Me

1.0

0.0004
io

METAMORPHIC
ROCK

6.4

lift) rosio
(U p
&E
in g
r
e
th
Wea
lting
Me

PARTICLE DIAMETER (cm)

( U p l if t )
n
Weathering & Erosio

M e lt i n g

e
ss ur
H
e
a
t
a
nd/or Pre m
is
M e ta m or p h

(U
We
athe plift)
ring
& Ero
sio

E r o s i on

SEDIMENTARY
ROCK

Cobbles

10.0

SEDIMENTS

STREAM VELOCITY (cm/s)

This generalized graph shows the water velocity
needed to maintain, but not start, movement. Variations
occur due to differences in particle density and shape.

noncrystalline

Basaltic glass

Pumice

Scoria
Vesicular
andesite

Rhyolite

Andesite

Vesicular basalt
Basalt

INTRUSIVE
(Plutonic)

Diabase
Diorite

Granite

Gabbro

Peridotite

Pegmatite

LOWER
FELSIC
(rich in Si, Al)

Dunite

Vesicular rhyolite

CRYSTAL
SIZE

10 mm 1 mm
less than
or
to
1 mm
larger 10 mm

EXTRUSIVE
(Volcanic)

Obsidian
(usually appears black)

LIGHTER

MINERAL COMPOSITION
(relative by volume)

CHARACTERISTICS

IGNEOUS ROCKS

ENVIRONMENT OF FORMATION

Scheme for Igneous Rock Identification

COLOR

DARKER

DENSITY

HIGHER

TEXTURE

Glassy

Nonvesicular
Vesicular
(gas
pockets)

Fine

Coarse

Nonvesicular

Very
coarse

MAFIC
(rich in Fe, Mg)

COMPOSITION

100%

100%
Potassium
feldspar
(pink to white)

75%

Quartz
(clear to
white)

75%
Plagioclase feldspar
(white to gray)

50%

50%

Pyroxene
(green)
Biotite
(black)

25%
Amphibole
(black)

0%
Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

Olivine
(green)

25%

0%

Scheme for Sedimentary Rock Identification

INORGANIC LAND-DERIVED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TEXTURE

GRAIN SIZE

COMPOSITION

Pebbles, cobbles,
and/or boulders
embedded in sand,
silt, and/or clay
Clastic
(fragmental)

Sand
(0.006 to 0.2 cm)
Silt
(0.0004 to 0.006 cm)
Clay
(less than 0.0004 cm)

COMMENTS

Rounded fragments
Mostly
quartz,
feldspar, and
clay minerals;
may contain
fragments of
other rocks
and minerals

Angular fragments

ROCK NAME

MAP SYMBOL

Conglomerate
Breccia

Fine to coarse

Sandstone

Very fine grain

Siltstone

Compact; may split

easily

. . . . .
. . . .
. . . . .
. . . .

Shale

CHEMICALLY AND/OR ORGANICALLY FORMED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

TEXTURE

GRAIN SIZE

Crystalline

Fine
to
coarse
crystals

COMPOSITION

COMMENTS

Halite
Gypsum

Microscopic to
very coarse

Bioclastic

MAP SYMBOL

Rock salt
Crystals from
chemical
precipitates
and evaporites

Rock gypsum
Dolostone

Dolomite
Crystalline or
bioclastic

ROCK NAME

Calcite

Precipitates of biologic
origin or cemented shell
fragments

Carbon

Compacted
plant remains

Limestone
Bituminous coal

Scheme for Metamorphic Rock Identification

TEXTURE

GRAIN
SIZE

COMPOSITION

TYPE OF
METAMORPHISM

Medium
to
coarse

AMPHIBOLE
GARNET
PYROXENE

Fine
to
medium

Regional
(Heat and
pressure
increases)
MICA
QUARTZ
FELDSPAR

MINERAL
ALIGNMENT
NONFOLIATED

BANDING

FOLIATED

Fine

Fine

Carbon

Regional

Fine

Various
minerals

Contact
(heat)

Quartz
Fine
to
coarse

COMMENTS

ROCK NAME

Low-grade
metamorphism of shale

Slate

Foliation surfaces shiny

from microscopic mica
crystals

Phyllite

Platy mica crystals visible

from metamorphism of clay
or feldspars

Schist

High-grade metamorphism;
mineral types segregated
into bands

Gneiss

Metamorphism of
bituminous coal

MAP SYMBOL

Anthracite coal

Various rocks changed by

heat from nearby
magma/lava

Hornfels

Metamorphism of
quartz sandstone

Quartzite

Regional
Calcite and/or
dolomite

or

Metamorphism of
limestone or dolostone

Marble

contact
Coarse

Various
minerals

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

Pebbles may be distorted

or stretched

Metaconglomerate

GEOLOGIC HISTORY
Eon

Era

Period

PHANEROZOIC

QUATERNARY

CENOZOIC

L
A
T
E
PROTEROZOIC

M
I
D
D
L
E

0.01

PLEISTOCENE 1.8
PLIOCENE
5.3

MIOCENE

23.0
OLIGOCENE
33.9
EOCENE
55.8
PALEOCENE
65.5

Large carnivorous mammals

Abundant grazing mammals
Earliest grasses
Many modern groups of mammals
Mass extinction of dinosaurs, ammonoids, and
many land plants

CRETACEOUS
First
sexually
reproducing
organisms

Earliest flowering plants

Diverse bony fishes

EARLY
146

LATE
MIDDLE

JURASSIC

Earliest birds
Abundant dinosaurs and ammonoids

EARLY

Oceanic oxygen
begins to enter
the atmosphere

MIDDLE
EARLY
251
LATE
MIDDLE

PALEOZOIC

CARBONIFEROUS

Oceanic oxygen
produced by
cyanobacteria
combines with
iron, forming
iron oxide layers
on ocean floor

M
I
D
D
L
E Earliest stromatolites
Oldest microfossils

E
A
R
L
Y

Earliest mammals

LATE

TRIASSIC

EARLY

318

LATE
MISSISSIPPIAN

MIDDLE
EARLY

DEVONIAN

359

416
LATE

SILURIAN

Mammal-like reptiles

EARLY

Extensive coal-forming forests

Abundant amphibians
Large and numerous scale trees and seed ferns
(vascular plants); earliest reptiles
Earliest amphibians and plant seeds
Extinction of many marine organisms
Earths first forests
Earliest ammonoids and sharks
Abundant fish

MIDDLE
EARLY

Evidence of biological
carbon

Mass extinction of many land and marine

organisms (including trilobites)

Abundant reptiles

LATE
EARLY

PENNSYLVANIAN

Earliest dinosaurs

299

LATE

444

Earliest insects
Earliest land plants and animals
Abundant eurypterids

LATE
Oldest known rocks

ORDOVICIAN

Invertebrates dominant
Earths first coral reefs

MIDDLE
488

LATE

Estimated time of origin

of Earth and solar system

MIDDLE

CAMBRIAN

EARLY
542
580

(Index fossils not drawn to scale)

Humans, mastodonts, mammoths

LATE

MESOZOIC

EARLY
4600

Bedrock

200

E
A
R
L
Y

L
A
T
E

4000

Sediment

HOLOCENE 0

PERMIAN

ARCHEAN

P R E C A M B R I A N

3000

NEOGENE
PALEOGENE

1000

2000

Life on Earth

Million years ago

Million years ago

0

500

Epoch

NY Rock
Record

1300

Burgess shale fauna (diverse soft-bodied organisms)

Earliest fishes
Extinction of many primitive marine organisms
Earliest trilobites
Great diversity of life-forms with shelly parts
Ediacaran fauna (first multicellular, soft-bodied
marine organisms)

Abundant stromatolites

Cryptolithus
Centroceras
Tetragraptus
Valcouroceras
Eucalyptocrinus
Coelophysis
Stylonurus
Hexameroceras
Manticoceras
Dicellograptus
Eurypterus
Ctenocrinus
Phacops
Elliptocephala
Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

OF NEW YORK STATE

Time Distribution of Fossils

Important Geologic
Events in New York

(including important fossils of New York)

The center of each lettered circle indicates the approximate time of
existence of a specific index fossil (e.g. Fossil A lived at the end
of the Early Cambrian).

I
H

BIRDS

MAMMALS
VASCULAR PLANTS
EURYPTERIDS

BRACHIOPODS

GASTROPODS

Pangaea begins to break up

232 million years ago

Alleghenian orogeny caused by
collision of North America and
Africa along transform margin,
forming Pangaea

R
X

Catskill delta forms

Erosion of Acadian Mountains
Acadian orogeny caused by collision of
North America and Avalon and closing
of remaining part of Iapetus Ocean

V
Y

T
J

359 million years ago

Salt and gypsum deposited in evaporite basins

K
B

119 million years ago

Intrusion of Palisades sill

CORALS

CRINOIDS

59 million years ago

Sands and clays underlying Long Island and

Staten Island deposited on margin of Atlantic
Ocean

Initial opening of Atlantic Ocean

North America and Africa separate

PLACODERM FISH

GRAPTOLITES

Advance and retreat of last continental ice

Dome-like uplift of Adirondack region begins

TRILOBITES

AMMONOIDS

DINOSAURS

NAUTILOIDS

Inferred Positions of
Earths Landmasses

Erosion of Taconic Mountains; Queenston delta

forms
Taconian orogeny caused by closing
of western part of Iapetus Ocean and
collision between North America and
volcanic island arc

458 million years ago

Widespread deposition over most of New York

along edge of Iapetus Ocean

Rifting and initial opening of Iapetus Ocean

Erosion of Grenville Mountains
Grenville orogeny: metamorphism of
bedrock now exposed in the Adirondacks
and Hudson Highlands

Mastodont
Cooksonia
Naples Tree
Beluga Whale
Bothriolepis
Aneurophyton
Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

Condor

Cystiphyllum
Maclurites
Eospirifer
Mucrospirifer
Lichenaria
Pleurodictyum
Platyceras
ADU (2011)

Inferred Properties of Earths Interior

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

10

Earthquake P-Wave and S-Wave Travel Time

24
23
22
21
20
19
18

17

TRAVEL TIME (min)

16
15
14
13
12
11
10

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

10

EPICENTER DISTANCE ( 103 km)

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

11

Dewpoint (C)
Dry-Bulb
Temperature (C)
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30

Difference Between Wet-Bulb and Dry-Bulb Temperatures (C)

0
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30

1
33
28
24
21
18
14
12
10
7
5
3
1
1
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
19
21
23
25
27
29

36
28
22
18
14
12
8
6
3
1
1
3
6
8
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27

10

11

12

13

14

15

29
22
17 29
13 20
9 15 24
6 11 17
4 7 11 19
1 4 7 13 21
1 2 5 9 14
4
1 2 5 9 14 28
6
4
1 2 5 9 16
9
6
4
1 2 5 10 17
11
9
7
4
1
1 6 10 17
13
11
9
7
4
2 2 5 10 19
2 5 10 19
15
14
12
10
7
4
2
3
1 5 10 19
17
16
14
12
10
8
5
6
2
1 5 10 18
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
9
6
3
0 4 9
22
20
18
17
15
13
11
11
9
7
4
1 3
24
22
21
19
17
16
14
14
12
10
8
5
1
26
24
23
21
19
18
16

Relative Humidity (%)

Dry-Bulb
Temperature (C)
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30

Difference Between Wet-Bulb and Dry-Bulb Temperatures (C)

0
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

1
28
40
48
55
61
66
71
73
77
79
81
83
85
86
87
88
88
89
90
91
91
92
92
92
93
93

10

11

12

13

14

15

11
23
33
41
48
54
58
63
67
70
72
74
76
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
86

13
20
32
37
45
51
56
59
62
65
67
69
71
72
74
75
76
77
78
79

11
20
28
36
42
46
51
54
57
60
62
64
66
68
69
70
71
72

1
11
20
27
35
39
43
48
50
54
56
58
60
62
64
65
66

6
14
22
28
33
38
41
45
48
51
53
55
57
59
61

10
17
24
28
33
37
40
44
46
49
51
53
55

6
13
19
25
29
33
36
40
42
45
47
49

4
10
16
21
26
30
33
36
39
42
44

2
8
14
19
23
27
30
34
36
39

1
7
12
17
21
25
28
31
34

1
6
11
15
20
23
26
29

5
10
14
18
21
25

4
9
13
17
20

4
9
12
16

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

12

Pressure

Temperature

110
Water boils

220
100
200

90

180

80

160

70

140

60

120

50

100

40
30

80
Room temperature

20
60
10
40

Water freezes

0
20
0
20

10
20
30

40

40

60

50

28

30.70

1036.0

30.60

380
370
360

1032.0

350

1028.0

30.50
30.40
30.30

340

1024.0

330

310

30.10

1016.0

30.00

1012.0

29.90

One atmosphere

300

30.20

1020.0

320

29.80

290

1008.0
29.70

280
1004.0

270

29.60

260

1000.0

250

996.0

29.40

992.0

29.30

240
230

988.0

220

29.50

29.20
29.10

984.0

Key to Weather Map Symbols

Station Model

1040.0

29.00

Station Model Explanation

980.0

28.90

976.0

28.80

972.0

28.70

968.0

28.60

196

1
2

+19/

27

.25

28.50

Air Masses

Present Weather

cA continental arctic
Drizzle

Rain

Smog

Hail

ThunderRain
storms showers

cP continental polar
cT continental tropical
mT maritime tropical

Snow

Sleet

Freezing
rain

Fog

Haze

Snow
showers

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

mP maritime polar

Fronts

Hurricane

Cold
Warm
Stationary

Tornado

Occluded

13

Selected
Properties of
Earths
Atmosphere

Planetary Wind and Moisture

Belts in the Troposphere
The drawing on the right shows the
locations of the belts near the time of an
equinox. The locations shift somewhat
with the changing latitude of the Suns
vertical ray. In the Northern Hemisphere,
the belts shift northward in the summer
and southward in the winter.
(Not drawn to scale)

Electromagnetic Spectrum
X rays
Gamma rays

Microwaves
Ultraviolet

Infrared

Radio waves

Decreasing wavelength

Increasing wavelength
Visible light
Violet

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

Blue

Green Yellow Orange

Red

(Not drawn to scale)

14

Characteristics of Stars
(Name in italics refers to star represented by a .)
(Stages indicate the general sequence of star development.)
1,000,000

Deneb

Luminosity

(Rate at which a star emits energy relative to the Sun)

100,000

Massive
Stars

Betelgeuse

SUPERGIANTS

Rigel

(Intermediate stage)

Spica
10,000

GIANTS

Polaris

1,000

(Intermediate stage)

Aldebaran
100

MA
IN

10

(E a

Pollux

SE

Sirius

rly QU
s ta E N
ge
C
)

Alpha Centauri

Sun

0.1

40 Eridani B
0.01

Barnards
Star

WHITE DWARFS
(Late stage)

0.001

Procyon B
0.0001
30,000

20,000

10,000 8,000

Small
Stars

Proxima
Centauri

6,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

Surface Temperature (K)

Blue

Blue White

White

Yellow

Orange

Red

Color

Solar System Data

Celestial
Object

SUN

Mean Distance
from Sun
(million km)

Period of
Revolution
(d=days) (y=years)

Period of
Rotation at Equator

Eccentricity
of Orbit

Equatorial
Diameter
(km)

Mass
(Earth = 1)

Density
(g/cm3)

27 d

1,392,000

333,000.00

1.4

57.9

88 d

59 d

0.206

4,879

0.06

5.4

VENUS

108.2

224.7 d

243 d

0.007

12,104

0.82

5.2

EARTH

149.6

365.26 d

23 h 56 min 4 s

0.017

12,756

1.00

5.5

MARS

227.9

687 d

24 h 37 min 23 s

0.093

6,794

0.11

3.9

JUPITER

778.4

11.9 y

9 h 50 min 30 s

0.048

142,984

317.83

1.3

SATURN

1,426.7

29.5 y

10 h 14 min

0.054

120,536

95.16

0.7

URANUS

2,871.0

84.0 y

17 h 14 min

0.047

51,118

14.54

1.3

NEPTUNE

4,498.3

164.8 y

16 h

0.009

49,528

17.15

1.8

149.6

27.3 d

27.3 d

0.055

3,476

0.01

3.3

MERCURY

EARTHS
MOON

(0.386 from Earth)

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

15

Either

Metallic luster

HARDNESS

FRACTURE

LUSTER

CLEAVAGE

Properties of Common Minerals

DISTINGUISHING
CHARACTERISTICS

USE(S)

COMPOSITION*

MINERAL NAME

12

silver to
gray

black streak,
greasy feel

pencil lead,
lubricants

Graphite

2.5

metallic
silver

gray-black streak, cubic cleavage,

density = 7.6 g/cm3

ore of lead,
batteries

PbS

Galena

5.5 6.5

black to
silver

black streak,
magnetic

ore of iron,
steel

Fe3O4

Magnetite

6.5

brassy
yellow

green-black streak,
(fools gold)

ore of
sulfur

FeS2

Pyrite

5.5 6.5
or 1

metallic silver or
earthy red

red-brown streak

ore of iron,
jewelry

Fe2O3

Hematite

white to
green

greasy feel

ceramics,
paper

Mg3Si4O10(OH)2

Talc

yellow to
amber

white-yellow streak

sulfuric acid

Sulfur




Nonmetallic luster

COMMON
COLORS

white to
pink or gray

easily scratched
by fingernail

plaster of paris,
drywall

CaSO42H2O

Selenite gypsum

2 2.5

colorless to
yellow

flexible in
thin sheets

paint, roofing

KAl3Si3O10(OH)2

Muscovite mica

2.5

colorless to
white

cubic cleavage,
salty taste

food additive,
melts ice

NaCl

Halite

2.5 3

black to
dark brown

flexible in
thin sheets

construction
materials

K(Mg,Fe)3
AlSi3O10(OH)2

Biotite mica

colorless
or variable

bubbles with acid,

rhombohedral cleavage

cement,
lime

CaCO3

Calcite

3.5

colorless
or variable

bubbles with acid

when powdered

building
stones

CaMg(CO3)2

Dolomite

colorless or
variable

cleaves in
4 directions

hydrofluoric
acid

CaF2

Fluorite

56

black to
dark green

cleaves in
2 directions at 90

mineral collections,
jewelry

(Ca,Na) (Mg,Fe,Al)
(Si,Al)2O6

Pyroxene
(commonly augite)

5.5

black to
dark green

cleaves at
56 and 124

white to
pink

cleaves in
2 directions at 90

ceramics,
glass

KAlSi3O8

Potassium feldspar
(commonly orthoclase)

white to
gray

cleaves in 2 directions,
striations visible

ceramics,
glass

(Na,Ca)AlSi3O8

Plagioclase feldspar

mineral collections, CaNa(Mg,Fe)4 (Al,Fe,Ti)3

jewelry
Si6O22(O,OH)2

Amphibole
(commonly hornblende)

6.5

green to
gray or brown

commonly light green

and granular

furnace bricks,
jewelry

(Fe,Mg)2SiO4

Olivine

colorless or
variable

glassy luster, may form

hexagonal crystals

glass, jewelry,
electronics

SiO2

Quartz

6.5 7.5

dark red
to green

often seen as red glassy grains

in NYS metamorphic rocks

jewelry (NYS gem),

abrasives

Fe3Al2Si3O12

Garnet

*Chemical symbols:

Al = aluminum
C = carbon
Ca = calcium

Cl = chlorine
F = fluorine
Fe = iron

H = hydrogen
K = potassium
Mg = magnesium

Na = sodium
O = oxygen
Pb = lead

S = sulfur
Si = silicon
Ti = titanium

 = dominant form of breakage

Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables 2011 Edition

16