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Earth History and Geologic Time

The document summarizes key concepts in earth history and geology, including: 1) The geological time scale measures earth's history in chronological order from eons to epochs based on fossil evidence. 2) The Precambrian eon comprised the earliest era of Earth's formation and evolution of life. 3) During the Phanerozoic eon, multicellular life evolved, plants colonized land, and reptiles and mammals appeared. 4) Fossils provide evidence of past life forms and can be classified as true fossils, molds, casts, or trace fossils.

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Remil Castañeda
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216 views1 page

Earth History and Geologic Time

The document summarizes key concepts in earth history and geology, including: 1) The geological time scale measures earth's history in chronological order from eons to epochs based on fossil evidence. 2) The Precambrian eon comprised the earliest era of Earth's formation and evolution of life. 3) During the Phanerozoic eon, multicellular life evolved, plants colonized land, and reptiles and mammals appeared. 4) Fossils provide evidence of past life forms and can be classified as true fossils, molds, casts, or trace fossils.

Uploaded by

Remil Castañeda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EARTH HISTORY AND GEOLOGIC TIME Principle of Fossil Succession – states that fossils organisms

succeed one another in a definite and determinable order


Geological Time Scale – is the interval of time occupied by and therefore time period can be recognized by it’s fossil
the geologic history of Earth which also provides a meaningful content.
time frame within which events of the geologic past are Index Fossils – are fossils recognized as time indicators , they
arranged. are used in correlating rocks of similar age in different
The geological time scale measures time on a scale involving regions.
four main units:
 An epoch is the smallest unit of time on the scale and A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EARTH’S HISTORY
encompasses a period of millions of years PRECAMBRIAN EON
 Chronologically, epochs are clumped together into larger - Comprises about 85% of Earth’s history or roughly 4.1
units called periods BYA (billion years ago)
 Periods are combined to make subdivisions called eras Hadean Era – beginning of the Earth
 An eon is the largest period of geological time - Considered the “chaotic era”
Relative dating – places events or rocks in their chronological - Stretches from 4.6 to 3.8 BYA
sequence or order of occurence without knowing their actual - Earth’s surface was continually bombarded by
age. meteorites and the very mantle caused severe
Principles of Relative Dating volcanism
1. Principle of Original Horizontality – sedimentary rocks are - Ocean and atmosphere were formed, and the core and
deposited as horizontal or nearly horizontal layers. Any the crust were stabilized.
deviation from horizontality indicates that deformation Archean Era – the oldest fossil was found during this era
occurs after deposition. - Stretches from 3.8 to 2.5 BYA and lasted for 1.3 BY
2. Principle of Superposition – in the sequence of sedimentary (billion years)
rocks, layers at the bottom of the sequence is the oldest, - The Earth was probably warm.
and the successively higher levels are successively younger. - The atmosphere contained mostly Methane and little to
3. Principle of Cross-cutting Relationships – geologic features no oxygen.
like faults and igneous intrusions are younger than the - Most Earth was covered with ocean
rocks they cut across. - Continent formation began
4. Principle of Inclusion – if rocks or rock fragments are Protezoic Era – was the longest era
included within another rock layer, the rock fragments - Stretches from 2.5 BYA to 542 MYA (million years ago)
must be older than the rock layer where they were lasts for 1.9 BYA
embedded. - Oxygenation of the atmosphere
Absolute dating - uses radiometric data analysis to determine - Origin and diversification of eukaryote
more exact ages - Appearance of multicellular animal life
- Continental drift was set in motion.

PHANEROZOIC EON

Paleozoic Era
- Many fossils were found in layers of sedimentary rocks
- Marine invertebrate probably lived near the shores of
shallow water
- Fossils of trilobites and brachiopods were preserved in
rocks
- Marine life forms had developed shells
- The first animal to breath was an amphibian that came
out of the sea during the devonian period
- Land plants began to develop
- Marine life also developed
 It involves comparing the ratio of radioactive isotopes in - Reptile appeared and land climate changed.
rock samples or fossils to that found in the atmosphere Mesozoic Era
 Radioactive isotopes decay at a constant rate and the - Saw the formation of several continents
time taken for half the original radioisotope to decay is - New bodies of water were formed
known as the half life - Dinosaur existed during this era
 Different radioisotopes have different half lives and are Cenozoic Era
thus useful for dating different types of fossilised remains - Mountains were uplifted and new life forms starts
appearing
FOSSILS: EVIDENCE OF PAST LIFE - Volcanic activity was widespread forming immense flow
Fossil – is a remnant or trace of organisms of a past geologic of lava and basalt
age. - Warm-bloodied animals such marsupials life kangaroo
CLASSIFICATION OF FOSSILS and primitive mammals roam the land
1. True Form Fossil – are the entire animals or plants trapped - Fossils during this era showed animals with tooth
and preserved in ice or tar, or other materials. structures for specific diets, limb structures for various
2. Mold Fossils – are hollow impressions of a living thing in a postures and increased brain size
rock. - Modern horse, bird and decidous trees developed in
3. Cast Fossils – are created when mold fossils filled with this era
mineral. - Glaciers covered the northen hemisphere
4. Trace Fossils or Ichnofossils – are impressions on rocks - During this period human left their marks on land. The
that showed various activities. earliest humans use stone tools

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