Regents Earth Science
John Dewey High School
Mr. Klimetz
Landscapes and Bedrock Geology of New York State
Reading the Earth Science Reference Tables I
Answer the following questions based on your interpretation of the Generalized Landscape Regions of New York State and the Generalized Bedrock Geology maps of the Earth Science Reference Tables (pages 2 and 3) as well as your class notes. Note that both maps are drawn at the same scale and on the same geographic base map. Superimposing of maps one upon another may be helpful in answering some of the questions.


1.    The bedrock which is exposed within the Allegheny Plateau is primarily of which age?
a.  Silurian   b.  Cretaceous   c.  Devonian   d.  Middle Proterozoic

2.    The Catskills are an example of which landscape type?
a.  mountains   b.  dissected plateau   c.  plain (lowland)   d.  plateau

3.    The youngest rock units in New York State can be observed in which landscape region?
a.  Tug Hill Plateau   b.  Adirondack Mountains   c.  Newark Lowlands   d.  Atlantic Coastal Plain

4.    The oldest rocks in New York Stare are exposed in which landscape region?
a.  Hudson Highlands   b.  St. Lawrence Lowlands   c.  Erie-Ontario Lowlands   d.  Newark Lowlands

5.    Which region is underlain by the oldest bedrock?
a.  Taconic Mountains   b.  St. Lawrence Lowlands   c.  Hudson Highlands   d.  The Catskills

6.    If you were to walk from Mt. Marcy to Massena, the age of the bedrock along your path would
a.  decrease   b.  increase   c.  remain the same.

7.    Silurian age bedrock can be found in the vicinity of which city?
a.  Binghamton   b.  Watertown   c.  Albany   d.  Syracuse

8.    The bedrock in the vicinity of Old Forge would most likely consist of
a.  limestone and shale   b.  conglomerate and sandstone
c.  slate and dolostone   d.  gneiss and quartzite

9.    Bedrock of Mississippian and Pennsylvanian age is exposed in which landscape region?
a.  Allegheny Plateau   b.  Manhattan Prong   c.  Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands   d.  Catskills

10.   If you were to successfully ascend to the top of Slide Mountain, on which class of rocks would you
       be standing?
a.  igneous   b.  sedimentary   c.  metamorphic

11.   The St. Lawrence Lowlands are drained by which river?
a.  Hudson   b.  Mohawk   c.  St. Lawrence   d.  Susquehanna

12.   Bedrock of Ordovician age is exposed in the vicinity of which city?
a.  Albany   b.  Buffalo   c.  Niagara Falls   d.  Old Forge

13.   Which is the generally observed relationship between bedrock age and topographic elevation in
NYS?
a.  The older the bedrock the lower the elevation.
b.  The younger the bedrock the higher the elevation.
c.  The older the bedrock the higher the elevation.
d.  There is no relationship between bedrock age and elevation.

14.   Which landscape region is most likely to have been shaped by the action of ocean waves?
a.  Adirondack Mountains   b.  Atlantic Coastal Plain  c.  Tug Hill Plateau  d.  Catskills

15.   The city of Kingston is located at the boundary between which two landscape regions?
a.  Allegheny Plateau and Erie-Ontario Lowlands
b.  Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands and Taconic Mountains
c.  The Catskills and Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands
d.  Hudson Highlands and Manhattan Prong