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Geologic Time Scale

The geologic time scale is a standard timeline used to describe the age of rocks, fossils, and events in Earth's history, divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs. It includes significant intervals such as the Precambrian Eon, which covers the formation of Earth and early life, and the Phanerozoic Eon, known for visible life and divided into Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Each era contains periods that highlight major evolutionary events and extinctions, shaping the planet's biological history.

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6 views5 pages

Geologic Time Scale

The geologic time scale is a standard timeline used to describe the age of rocks, fossils, and events in Earth's history, divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs. It includes significant intervals such as the Precambrian Eon, which covers the formation of Earth and early life, and the Phanerozoic Eon, known for visible life and divided into Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Each era contains periods that highlight major evolutionary events and extinctions, shaping the planet's biological history.

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janiceangelvaldez553
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GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

- It serves as a standard timeline that is used to describe the age of the rocks, fossils, and
the events that forms them.
- The extensive interval of time occupied by the geologic history of Earth

EON
- Largest slices of time, ranging from half billion to two billion years long.
- 88 percent of the earth’s history

ERA
- A subdivision of an eon
- Spanning tens to hundreds of millions of years

PERIOD
- Subdivision of an era
- Lasting several tens of millions of years.

EPOCH
- Subdivision of a period
- Spanning several million years.

PRECAMBRIAN EON
• Hadean Eon
- Occurred 4.6 billion to 4 billion years ago.
- Known as the age of ancient life.
- During this time, the solar system was forming within a cloud of dust and gas known as
the solar nebula, which eventually spawned planets.
- The earth started cooling and the outer edge of the planet solidified from molten lava to a
solid crust. Water rained from the atmosphere and created oceans.
• Archean Eon
- Between 4 billion and 2.5 billion years ago, the first form of life on our planet was
created in the oceans.
- The first single-celled organism appeard.
- By the end of the Archean, the ocean floor was covered in a living mat of bacterial life.
- The oldest rock found.

• Proterozoic Eon
- Also called the age of hidden life.
- Started 2.5 billion years ago. In this time, Enough shield rock had formed to start
recognizable geologic processes such as plate tectonics.

PHANEROZOIC EON
- The current geologic eon in the geologic time scale.
- Known as the “age of visible life.”
- 541 million years ago
- It is divided into three eras.

• Paleozoic Era
- The era began with the breakup of one supercontinent and the formation of another.
- Divided into 6 periods.

a. Cambrian Period
- 541 million years ago.
- Known for the “Cambrian Explosion,” a rapid diversification of life forms.
- Marine environments dominated by ancient marine organisms.
- First appearance of many major groups of animals.

b. Ordovician Period
- 485 million years ago.
- Marine life flourished with diverse invertebrates.
- First vertebrates (jawless fish) appeared
- Ended with a major extinction event, likely due to glaciation.
c. Silurian Period
- 443 million years ago
- Coral reefs expanded, and the first jawed fish emerged.
- First evidence of life on land, including simple plants and arthropods.

d. Carboniferous Period
- 359 million years ago
- Divided into Mississippian (early) and Pennsylvanian (late) sub-periods
- Vast swamp forests led to the formation of extensive coal deposits
- Dominance of amphibians and early reptiles.
- “age of amphibians”

e. Devonian Period
- 320 million years ago
- Known as the “Age of Fishes” due to diverse and abundant fish species.
- First amphibians appeared, marking the transition of vertebrates to land.
- First formation of extensive forests.

f. Permian Period
- 298 million years ago
- Pangaea supercontinent formed, leading to diverse climates.
- Reptiles diversified, including the ancestors of mammals.
- “Great Dying” - most severe extinction event.

Boundary between permian and triassic: major extinction event that wiped out 96% of marine
species.

• Mesozoic Era
- From about 252 million years ago to about 66 million years ago.
- Known as the “age of reptiles” or the age of Dinosaurs”
- Also known as the middle life era.
a. Triassic Period
- 252 million years ago
- First dinosaur appeared

b. Jurassic Period
- 200 years ago
- First appearance of birds
- The presence of dinosaurs

c. Cretaceous Period
- 145 million years ago
- First flowering plant appeard.
- Known for its iconic dinosaurs, such as Triceratops.

• Cenozoic Era
- Began about 65 million years ago and continues into the present.
- Also known as the “Age of Mammals.”
- Extinction of large animals, such as dinosaurs.

a. Paleogene Period
- 65 million years ago – 23 million years ago

• Paleocene Epoch (65 million years ago)


- After the mass extinction of the dinosaurs, mammals began to diversify.

• Eocene Epoch (56 million years ago)


- The first modern mammals, including primates, appeared.
- Climate was warmer and more humid than today

• Oligocene Epoch (34 million years ago)


- A cooling trend led to the expansion of grasslands
- Early horses and elephants evolved

b. Neogene Period
- 23 million to 2.58 million years ago

• Miocene Epoch (23 million years ago)


- Apes evolved, including ancestors of modern humans.

• Pliocene Epoch (5.3 million years ago)


- Continued cooling led to the formation of ice caps at the poles.
- Early humans evolved in Africa.

c. Quaternary Period
- 2.58 million years ago to present

• Pleistocene Epoch (2.58 million years ago)


- Humans spread across the globe and developed sophisticated tools.

• Holocene Epoch (11,700 years ago to present)


- The most recent epoch, characterized by relatively stable climate and the rise of human
civilization.

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