Learning Assessment #5 – Geologic Time

Reid, L.F., Cowie, B.R. (2011)

Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary

This assignment is the fifth of a series of in-class activities known as learning

assessments. These assignments were used in an introductory physical geology
course that is a requirement for geoscience majors but has no pre-requisites and
is open to students in all faculties.

The purpose of the learning assessments is to provide students with frequent

feedback on their understanding of the fundamental concepts taught in the
course. The learning assessments also provide information to the instructors and
teaching assistants on student learning which can be used to help direct
instruction in the course.

This assignment package includes:

1. Instructions for students and assignment worksheets
2. Checklist of required elements
3. Geologic time scale (Geological Society of America, 2009. Available to the
public online at http://www.geosociety.org/science/timescale/timescl.pdf)

Corresponding author:

Dr. Leslie Reid

Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)
University of Calgary Faculty of Science
lfreid@ucalgary.ca
Last Name: _______________ First Name: ________________ ID: _______________

Learning Assessment #5: Geologic Time

Using the cross-section provided with the accompanying information, answer questions for Part
1, 2 and 3.

Rock Types
Ss (a, b and c) = sandstone Cg = conglomerate
Sh (a and b) = shale
Slt = siltstone
Lm (a and b) = limestone

Age Information
• Fossils in Ssa are lower Eocene (Ypresian) • Fossils in Lmb are Middle Pennsylvian
• Fossils in Ssc are lower Ordovician
• Zircon minerals in Ssb are 750 Ma
V = andesite
Di = diorite
M = kyanite-garnet-biotite schist Gr = granite
• Zircon in granite (Gr) is 600 Ma
• Zircon in Diorite (Di) is 260 Ma
• Biotite in Andesite (V) is 450 Ma
• Zircon in granite clasts in the conglomerate (Cgl) are 600 Ma

There are two unconformities in the sequence of rocks shown by the darker wiggly lines.

Part 1: Relative Time Sequence of Events

Place a number between 1 and 14 beside the geologic events, where the number corresponds
to the correct relative timing of events with the oldest being event #1 and the youngest being
event #14. (14 marks)
Number in the sequence of events Geologic Event
Formation of angular unconformity
Formation of nonconformity
Intrusion of Granite (Gr)
Intrusion of Diorite (Di)
Formation of Andesite unit
Formation of Cg
Formation of Ssc
Formation of Slt
Formation of Shb
Formation of Lmb
Formation of Ssb
Formation of units Ssa, Lma and Sha
Folding of Paleozoic and Precambrian rocks
Formation of schist (M)

Reid & Cowie (2011)

Part 2: In the table below put the numerical age bracket for the event/unit (7 marks).
Numerical Age
Event / Unit
Bracket
Age bracket for non- conformity
Maximum time gap (i.e how many years are missing) for the non-
conformity

Folding of Paleozoic rocks

Formation of Ssb (Sandstone layer ‘b’)

Part 3: Explain reasoning and principles you used to determine the numerical age bracket for
the Ssb unit. (6 mks)

Reid & Cowie (2011)

Cross-Section Diagram for Learning Assessment 5

W E
Cenozoic

Sha

Lma
Lma

Ssa Ssa
Paleozoic

Gr
Gr
 GLGY 201 LEARNING ASSESSMENT #5 (GEO TIME) STUDENT CHECKLIST

Part 1: Order of Events (Oldest #1 to Youngest #14) (14 pts)

1 pt for each event in the correct order

Part 2: Age Bracketing (7 pts)

___ Non-conformity time bracket (oldest possible age)
___ Non-conformity time bracket (youngest possible age)
___ Non-conformity time gap
___ Folding time bracket (oldest possible age)
___ Folding time bracket (youngest possible age)
___ Formation of SSb oldest possible age
___ Formation of SSB youngest possible age

Part 3: Reasoning for Age Bracket of Ssb (6 pts)

___ Age of unit that Is older than Ssb
___ Reasoning for this unit being the unit to use for oldest time bracket
___ Principle used to determine oldest age
___ Age of unit that is younger than Ssb
___ Reasoning for choosing this unit
___ Principle used to determine youngest age

Total for LEARNING ASSESSMENT #5: ______ / 27

Reid & Cowie (2011)

 2009 GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE
CENOZOIC MESOZOIC PALEOZOIC PRECAMBRIAN
MAGNETIC MAGNETIC BDY.
AGE POLARITY PICKS AGE POLARITY PICKS AGE PICKS AGE
PERIOD EPOCH AGE PERIOD EPOCH AGE PERIOD EPOCH AGE EON ERA PERIOD AGES

CHRON.
CHRON.
(Ma) (Ma) (Ma) (Ma) (Ma) (Ma)

ANOM.
(Ma)
ANOM.

HIST.
HIST.

(Ma)
1 C1 QUATER-
HOLOCENE
0.01 30 C30 65.5 542
NARY PLEISTOCENE CALABRIAN
1.8 31 C31 MAASTRICHTIAN 251
2 C2 GELASIAN 2.6 70 70.6 CHANGHSINGIAN EDIACARAN
L 254
2A C2A PIACENZIAN 32 C32 WUCHIAPINGIAN 630
PLIOCENE 3.6 260
ZANCLEAN CAMPANIAN 260
CAPITANIAN

PERMIAN
33
5 3 C3 5.3 266 750 NEOPRO- CRYOGENIAN

CRETACEOUS
80 C33 M WORDIAN
3A C3A MESSINIAN LATE 83.5 ROADIAN
268 TEROZOIC
7.2 SANTONIAN 271 850
4
85.8 KUNGURIAN 276
C4 CONIACIAN 280 TONIAN
4A L 89.3 ARTINSKIAN
C4A TORTONIAN 90 TURONIAN 284
E
NEOGENE

10 93.5 1000 1000

5
C5 SAKMARIAN
MIOCENE

11.6 CENOMANIAN 297

PROTEROZOIC
99.6 ASSELIAN STENIAN
5A SERRAVALLIAN 100 34 C34
300 GZELIAN
299.0
C5A
13.8 304

CARBONIFEROUS
M KASIMOVIAN 1200
LANGHIAN PENNSYL- 306
15 5B C5B ALBIAN MOSCOVIAN 1250 MESOPRO-
VANIAN 312 ECTASIAN
5C C5C 16.0 110 BASHKIRIAN TEROZOIC
5D C5D
112 320 318 1400
5E C5E BURDIGALIAN SERPUKHOVIAN
326
6 C6
120 APTIAN 1500 CALYMMIAN
20 E 20.4 EARLY MISSIS-
6A C6A
M0r 125 VISEAN 1600
6B C6B AQUITANIAN M1 340 SIPPIAN
23.0 M3 BARREMIAN 345
6C C6C 130 M5 130 STATHERIAN
HAUTERIVIAN TOURNAISIAN 1750
OLIGOCENE

7 C7
25 7A C7A M10 359
136
TERTIARY

8 C8
L CHATTIAN M12 VALANGINIAN 360 L 1800
140 M14
140
9 C9 M16 FAMENNIAN
BERRIASIAN OROSIRIAN

DEVONIAN
10 C10 M18
28.4 M20 145.5
2000
30 11 C11
M22 TITHONIAN 374 PALEOPRO- 2050
150 380 FRASNIAN
12 E RUPELIAN 151 TEROZOIC
C12
M25 LATE KIMMERIDGIAN 385
JURASSIC 156 GIVETIAN RHYACIAN
M29
M 392
13 33.9 160 OXFORDIAN 2250
C13
161 EIFELIAN 398
35 15 C15
L CALLOVIAN 400 2300
16 C16 PRIABONIAN 165 EMSIAN
RAPID POLARITY CHANGES

BATHONIAN E 407
17
C17
37.2 MIDDLE 168 PRAGHIAN 411 SIDERIAN
170
BAJOCIAN LOCKHOVIAN
BARTONIAN 172 416 2500 2500
18
AALENIAN PRIDOLIAN

ORDOVICIAN SILURIAN
420 L 419
40 C18 176 LUDFORDIAN 421
40.4 GORSTIAN 423
PALEOGENE

19 C19 180 TOARCIAN HOMERIAN

M 426 NEOARCHEAN
EOCENE

SHEINWOODIAN 428
183 TELYCHIAN
20 436
C20 PLIENSBACHIAN 440 E AERONIAN 439 2750
M 190
EARLY RHUDDANIAN 2800
45 LUTETIAN 190
HIRNANTIAN
444
SINEMURIAN 446
21 197 L KATIAN
C21 455

ARCHEAN
200 HETTANGIAN SANDBIAN MESO-
48.6 201.6 460 461 3000
22 RHAETIAN DARRIWILIAN ARCHEAN
50 C22 204 M 468
23 DAPINGIAN
472
TRIASSIC

C23
E YPRESIAN 210 FLOIAN
24 479 3200
480 E
TREMADOCIAN 3250
C24
LATE NORIAN
55 488
55.8 220 Furon- STAGE 10
STAGE 9
492 PALEO-
PALEOCENE

25
THANETIAN CAMBRIAN* gian 496 ARCHEAN
C25 L 500 PAIBIAN 501
26 228 GUZHANGIAN 503 3500
58.7 230 Series 3 DRUMIAN 507
60
C26 CARNIAN STAGE 5 510 3600
M SELANDIAN 235 STAGE 4
Series 2 517
27 61.7 LADINIAN 520 STAGE 3
C27 240 MIDDLE 521
241 3750
28
C28
E DANIAN ANISIAN Terre- EOARCHEAN
29 245 STAGE 2
65 OLENEKIAN neuvian 535 3850
C29 65.5 250
EARLY 250 FORTUNIAN
30 C30 INDUAN
251.0 540 542 HADEAN

*International ages have not been fully established. These are current names as reported by the International Commission on Stratigraphy.
Walker, J.D., and Geissman, J.W., compilers, 2009, Geologic Time Scale: Geological Society of America, doi: 10.1130/2009.CTS004R2C. ©2009 The Geological Society of America.
Sources for nomenclature and ages are primarily from Gradstein, F., Ogg, J., Smith, A., et al., 2004, A Geologic Time Scale 2004: Cambridge University Press, 589 p. Modifications to
the Triassic after: Furin, S., Preto, N., Rigo, M., Roghi, G., Gianolla, P., Crowley, J.L., and Bowring, S.A., 2006, High-precision U-Pb zircon age from the Triassic of Italy: Implications for
the Triassic time scale and the Carnian origin of calcareous nannoplankton and dinosaurs: Geology, v. 34, p. 1009–1012, doi: 10.1130/G22967A.1; and Kent, D.V., and Olsen, P.E.,
2008, Early Jurassic magnetostratigraphy and paleolatitudes from the Hartford continental rift basin (eastern North America): Testing for polarity bias and abrupt polar wander in
association with the central Atlantic magmatic province: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 113, B06105, doi: 10.1029/2007JB005407.