Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Background
Geologic Time Scale Basics
The history of the Earth covers a vast expanse of time, so scientists divide it into smaller sections that are associated with particular events that have occurred in the past. The approximate time range of each time span is
shown on the poster. The largest time span of the geologic time scale is the eon. It is an indefinitely long period of
time that contains at least two eras. Geologic time is divided into two eons. The more ancient eon is called the
Precambrian, and the more recent is the Phanerozoic. Each eon is subdivided into smaller spans called eras. The
Precambrian eon is divided from most ancient into the Hadean era, Archean era, and Proterozoic era. See Figure 1.
Precambrian Eon
Proterozoic Era
Archaean Era
Hadean Era
Single-celled and simple multicelled organisms first developed during the Precambrian eon. There are many fossils from this time because the sea-dwelling creatures were trapped in sediments and preserved.
The Phanerozoic eon is subdivided into three eras the Paleozoic era, Mesozoic era, and Cenozoic era. An era is
often divided into several smaller time spans called periods. For example, the Paleozoic era is divided into the
Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian periods.
Paleozoic Era
Permian Period
Carboniferous Period
Devonian Period
Silurian Period
Ordovician Period
Cambrian Period
The Mesozoic Era contains the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, as illustrated in Figure 3. It is often
called the Age of the Dinosaurs because of its famous inhabitants.
Mesozoic Era
Cretaceous Period
Jurassic Period
Triassic Period
Cenozoic Era
Quaternary Period
Recent (or Halocene)
Pleistocene
Tertiary Period
Pliocene
Miocene
Oligocene
Eocene
Paleocene
Figure 6. The break up of Pangaea and movement of the continents over time
2. How did scientists account for fossils and other geological evidence as they developed the geologic time
scale?
3. Match the description with the appropriate subdivision of the geologic time scale. Use each term once.
Description
Term
A. Paleozoic
B. Cenozoic
C. Precambrian
D. Mesozoic
COPYMASTER:Permission granted to make unlimited copies.Copy use confined to educational purposes within a single school building.Copyright Neo/SCI.
2. Describe the theory of continental drift and identify who first proposed this theory.
3. How did the theory of plate tectonics improve on the theory of continental drift?
COPYMASTER:Permission granted to make unlimited copies.Copy use confined to educational purposes within a single school building.Copyright Neo/SCI.
Term
A. Paleozoic
B. Cenozoic
C. Precambrian
D. Mesozoic