Geo Time

Geologic Time and Earth History
Geologic Time
By examining layers of sedimentary rock, geologists

developed a time scale for dividing up earth
history.
Earlier in the 20th century, radiometric-dating
techniques allowed scientists to put absolute dates
on divisions in the geologic time scale.
In this segment, we will learn how geologists:
• determine the relative ages of rock units,
• determine the divisions of the geologic time scale,
and
• how radiometric techniques can be used to date
some rocks.
How do geologists determine how old
rocks are?
1.Relative dating -- determine whether

the rock is older or younger than other
rocks
2. Absolute dating -- use radiometric

dating techniques to determine how long
ago the rock formed in the exact number
of years
*Not all rocks can be dated absolutely, so

combinations of techniques are used.
Example of Relative Age Dating and Correlation
Principles associated with Relative Dating
The comparing of rock units to decipher their age
relative to one another
• Principle of Superposition
Rock layer above is younger than the ones below it.
(Oldest on bottom, youngest on top)
May not apply to rocks that have been folded (can
get turned upside-down).
• Principle of Original Horizontality

Sedimentary layers are deposited in approximately
horizontal sheets.
If layers are folded, episode of deformation must
have occurred after rocks formed. Age of
folding is younger than youngest deformed rock
unit.
• Principle of Crosscutting Relationships
Any feature (e.g. fault or intrusion) that cuts
across rocks is younger than the youngest rock
that is cut.
• Principle of Faunal Succession

Organisms have evolved and gone extinct through
time
Fossil content of rock changes in a systematic way,
reflecting evolutionary changes
Fossil content can be used to help determine age
of rock and correlate rocks.
Paraphrased as "Organisms within rock units
change with time".
Principle of Lateral Continuity
Suggests that all rock layers are laterally

continuous and may be broken up or displaced
by later events. This can happen when a river
or stream erodes a portion of the rock layers.
This can also happen when faulting occurs.
Principle of Inclusions
States that any rock fragments that are

included in a rock must be older than the rock in
which they are included.
Absolute Dating:
• Radiometric Dating Techniques
• Use naturally-occurring radioactive
isotopes
• Isotope -- form of an element that
has additional neutrons
• Radioisotope -- isotope that
spontaneously decays, giving off radiation
Rate of Radioactive Decay

• Radioisotopes decay at a constant rate.
• Rate of decay is measured by half-life
• Half-life -- time it takes for one-half
of the radioactive material to decay.
Decay products
• Radioisotopes may decay to form a different
isotope or a stable isotope.
• May be a series of radioactive decays before a
stable isotope is formed.
• Stable isotope is called the "daughter" formed
from decay of radioactive "parent"
Radiometric Age Dating

Radioisotopes are trapped in minerals when they
crystallize.
Radioisotopes decay through time, and stable
isotopes are formed.
Determining the ratio of parent isotope to
daughter product reveals the number of half-
lives that has elapsed.
Common isotopes used in age dating
U-Pb -- half-life of U-238 is 4.5 b.y.
K-Ar -- half-life of K-40 is 1.3 b.y.
Rb-Sr -- half-life of Rb-87 is 47
b.y.
Carbon 14 -- half-life of C-14 is 5730
yrs
Absolute Dating Example
Thus, by using the appropriate radioactive isotope (knowing
its half-life time), and measuring the quantity of the
isotope present in the rock, one can deduce how long it has
taken to decay down to the present amount in the rock.
Example: A rock has 0.5 (one-half) of the original carbon

14 material in it. One can deduce that knowing the half-
life of carbon 14 is 5730 years, the rock must have
decayed (lost) 50% of its original carbon 14 material and is
now 5730 years old. In a period of 5730 years from now,
the rock will contain .25 (25%) of its original carbon 14
material.
Theoretically, there will always be some trace of carbon
14 present in the rock…it will never decay totally.
Interpreting the rock record:
Prior to geologic principles, Archbishop James
Ussher calculated the age of the Earth at 6000
years. He noted that calculations were made
based on the books of the Bible (namely Genesis)
and pinpointed the origin of the Earth to be
October 26, 4004 B.C. at 9:00 a.m.
Principle of Uniformitarianism:
James Hutton, late 1700s – (considered to
be "Father of Geology")
Hutton realized that most sedimentary layers were
deposited from gradual, day-to-day processes. He
realized that it took a long time to form these
rocks. This was far different from what others
believed prior to this time.
"Present is the key to the past" --
whatever processes are occurring
today (plate tectonics, volcanism,
mountain building, earthquakes,
sedimentation) also occurred in the
past and probably at the same (or
very comparable) rates.
Unconformities
Unconformities are surfaces in rock that represent
periods of erosion or non-deposition. In other
words, time has been left out of the physical
geologic rock record.
There are three (3) principal types of

unconformities:
1. Angular Unconformity
Rocks above and below unconformity have
different orientations. Shows that there was a
period of deformation, followed by erosion,
and then renewed deposition. Easiest of the
three types to recognize because the units
are at an angle truncated with the units above
them.
2.Nonconformity
Rocks in a horizontal fashion were eroded down to
igneous bedrock material at which time subsequent
deposition of sedimentary layers commenced. Shows
that there was a period of deformation, followed by
erosion, and then renewed deposition. Represents the
greatest amount of time left out of the geologic rock
record.
3.Disconformity
Rocks in a nearly horizontal fashion were eroded and an
erosional profile remains covered by subsequent
sedimentary deposition. Shows that there was a period
of erosion and then renewed deposition in nearly
horizontal layers. Most difficult to recognize because
the units are nearly horizontal and only a small
discontinuous layer can be observed (rubble zone or soil
profile).
Unconformity Types Using Grand Canyon as Example
Geologic Time Scale
Developed in 1800s from relative dating of rocks
More recently, radiometric techniques have allowed us to determine
ages of units in years before present.
Many of the names relate back to localities in England (Ex: Devonian
from Devonshire)
Divisions of Geologic Time Scale:

Eons Eras:
Paleozoic -- Mesozoic -- Cenozoic
Oldest ----------------->
Youngest
Periods of the Phanerozoic: Paleozoic

Era Permian (youngest)
Pennsylvanian together with Mississippian are called "Carboniferous" in
Great Britain
Epochs of Tertiary and Quaternary

PaleoceneEoceneOligoceneMiocenePliocenePleistocene
Most recent
“Ice Age”
“Humans”
arrive
Major Mass
Extinction
Age of
Dinosaurs
Major Mass
Extinction
Age of Coal
Formation
Age of
Fishes
First multi-
celled
The Geologic Time Scale
organisms
Origin of the Earth
4.55 Billion years
What Killed the Dinosaurs?
Earth During the Silurian (430+ million years ago)
Permian ~250 million
years ago

Geo Time

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Geologic Time and Earth History

By examining layers of sedimentary rock, geologists

1.Relative dating -- determine whether

2. Absolute dating -- use radiometric

*Not all rocks can be dated absolutely, so

• Principle of Original Horizontality

• Principle of Faunal Succession

Suggests that all rock layers are laterally

States that any rock fragments that are

Rate of Radioactive Decay

Radiometric Age Dating

Example: A rock has 0.5 (one-half) of the original carbon

There are three (3) principal types of

Divisions of Geologic Time Scale:

Periods of the Phanerozoic: Paleozoic

Epochs of Tertiary and Quaternary

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