Discovering Earths History

Chapter 12.1 "The present is the key to the past."

History of Geology
Mid 1600s Archbishop James Ussher
Constructed time line of human and Earth History Earth = more than 5,000 years old

Late 1700s James Hutton

Theory of the Earth Uniformitarianism

Uniformitarianism
the same geologic processes shaping the Earth today have been at work throughout Earth's history
Transport of sediment Breakdown of rock

Relative Dating
Identifying which rock units formed first Tells us the sequence in which events occurred (not how long ago)
Nicolaus Steno
1636-1686 anatomist and geologist Principles of Relative Dating

Law of Superposition
In a sequence sedimentary rocks, each bed is older than the one above it and younger than the one below it. (1669)

Principle of Original Horizontality

Layers of sediment are generally deposited in a horizontal position

Red Rock Canyon

Canadian Rockies

Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships

A fault or magma intrusion that cuts through rocks is younger than the rocks affected

Inclusions
Pieces of one rock unit are contained within another The rock unit containing inclusions is younger Fragments found in a granite are older than the granite

Unconformities
Breaks in the rock record deposition stopped, EROSION removed previously formed rock, and then deposition resumed Identifies intervals of time that are not represented in the rock record

Types of Unconformities
1. Angular Unconformities Tilted or folded sedimentary rocks overlain by younger sedimentary rocks Deformation and erosion

Types of Unconformities
2. Disconformities
Two sedimentary rock layers are separated by an erosional surface Erosional surface separates older metamorphic/intrusive igneous from younger sedimentary rocks

3. Nonconformities

Correlation
Establishing the equivalence of rocks of similar age in different areas Creates a more complex view of the geologic history of a region Fossils are used to correlate rocks separated by great distances