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Time Scale
A BRIEF HISTORY OF
EARTH SINCE 4.6 BILLION
YEARS.
Measuring Time
• The Geological time scale
is a record of the life
forms and geological
events in Earth’s history.
• Scientists developed the
time scale by studying
rock layers and fossils
world wide.
• Radioactive dating
helped determine the
absolute divisions in the
time scale.
Giving Time a Name
• The largest sections are called “eons”.
• “Eons” are divided into “eras” (the 2nd largest
section).
• “Eras” are divided into
“periods”.
• ‘Periods’ are
divided into ‘epochs”.
Eons
• Largest, most general division
of time.
• 2 Eons
• The eons are: Cryptozoic
(Precambrian) eon and
Phanerozoic eon.
• Precambrian and
Phanerozoic eon both
consists of three eras as
shown in the figure.
Eras
• Each Eon is broken up into Eras.
• Major eras in Earth’s history:
• Archean (4600 mya - 2500 mya)
• Proterozoic (2500 mya - 540 mya)
• Paleozoic (540mya - 250mya)
• Mesozoic (250 mya - 65.5 mya)
• Cenozoic (65.5 mya – present)
Jurassic is an important
period of Mesozoic era. It
lasted from 250 million years
ago to 200 million years ago.
During this period, first birds
and mammals were formed.
Gymnosperms were dominating
plants. The dinosaurs were
formed in Triassic period
reached at their peak in this
period.
iv) Cretaceous
It is a period of Mesozoic era
which lasted from 150 million
years ago to 65.5 million years
ago. It marked the end of the
Mesozoic Era and the beginning
of the Cenozoic Era. All of the
dinosaurs and half of the other
animals & plants went extinct in
this period. Scientists think an
asteroid hit Earth, the dust clouds
blocked out the sun. As a result,
plants died, then herbivores, then
carnivores.
v)Quarternery period
It is a period of Cenozoic era
which has been lasting from
1.8 million years ago to
present days. In this period,
the humans evolved as the
most intelligent creature of
earth and took over. It is
divided into 2 epochs
namely: Pleistocene and
Holocene.