Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Geology is the Time-history is preserved by rock layers Science GG101 Lecture 14: Geologic Time of Time
Example: In the mid-1600s, Archbishop James Ussher determined that the Earth was created on:
nightfall preceding 23 October 4004 BC This date was included in some editions of the bible for hundreds of years.
Beginning in the 1700s, scientists used various methods to estimate Earths age
1780s James Hutton: millions of years based on sedimentation rates father of geologic time we find no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end 1800s: 100s of milllion yrs based on rates of: salt accumulation in ocean evolutionary change of fossils 1860s Lord Kelvin: 20 400 Million years, based on rock cooling rates (did not account for heat sources) 1900s: Radiometric dating: 4.5 Billion Years
Two components of Geologic Time 1. Relative Dating: Determine the order of geologic events 2. Absolute Dating: Assign ages to each different event
1. Deposition 2. Erosion 3. Intrusion Rock strata are formed by deposition of 4. Faulting sediments in sedimentary environments 5. Rock Deformation
1. Deposition Rocks that are exposed to air or water 2. Erosion are eroded. This erosion produces gaps 3. Intrusion in the geologic record called unconformitites. 4. Faulting 5. Rock Deformation
An intrusion cuts across younger rocks 1. Deposition 2. Erosion 3. Intrusion 4. Faulting 5. Rock Deformation
A fault cuts across younger rock. Faulting occurs in individual rocks and on the scale of the tectonic plates.
1. Deposition 2. Erosion Deformation may tilt, fold, uplift and even 3. Intrusion invert existing rock layers. 4. Faulting Deformation may expose rocks to erosion. 5. Rock Deformation
Relative dating of Grand Canyon rock layers Can you determine the order of events that formed these layers? To do this, geologists use Seven Stratigraphic Principles
3. Principle of Original Lateral Continuity: Sedimentary beds were deposited in unbroken layers.
4. Principle of CrossCutting Relationships: Geologic features that cut pre-existing rocks are younger that they cut.
5. Principle of Inclusions: A piece of rock that is incorporated into another rock layer is older that the rock layer.
7. Principle of Fossil Succession: Fossils record changes to animals and plants that occurred through time (because of evolution)
The First Geologic Map (of Britain, 1815) Made by William Smith (canal engineer) How Smith made his map:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK4Tn8rFt_E
Geologics use Radiometric Dating to estimate the Absolute Age of Geologic Samples
Some types of atoms undergo Radioactive Decay into another type of atom.
Mass number
12 13 14 Its mass number is between 12 and 14, depending the number of neutrons. These are the 3 isotopes of Carbon.
Geologics use Radiometric Dating to estimate the Absolute Age of Geologic Samples
One half-life is the time for one half of the parent isotope to decay into daughter isotope.
One half-life is the time for one half of the Measure the ratio of Parent to Daughter parent isotope This tells you the number of half-lives to decay into daughter isotope.
Radiocarbon-dating
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG-G7nBYwR8 (until 7:00)
The oldest map showing North America. 1434 A.D. plus or minus 11 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pscAavYnYdg
By God's will, after a long voyage from the island of Greenland to the south toward the most distant remaining parts of the western ocean sea, sailing southward amidst the ice, the companions Bjarni and Leif Eiriksson discovered a new land, extremely fertile and even having vines, ... which island they named Vinland.
Lead isotopes abundances in Earth rocks compared to abundances in meteorites: 4.6 Billion Years
The consistency of these different dates tell us that the Earth is about 4.5 Billion years old.