The geological time scale is used to divide Earth's history into standardized units of time. It is based on studying rock layers and fossils worldwide. The largest divisions are eons, which are divided into eras, then periods and epochs. The Precambrian eon occurred from 4.6 billion to 540 million years ago and included the Archean and Proterozoic eras. The Phanerozoic eon began 540 million years ago and includes the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Key periods include the Carboniferous, Permian, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Quaternary.
The geological time scale is used to divide Earth's history into standardized units of time. It is based on studying rock layers and fossils worldwide. The largest divisions are eons, which are divided into eras, then periods and epochs. The Precambrian eon occurred from 4.6 billion to 540 million years ago and included the Archean and Proterozoic eras. The Phanerozoic eon began 540 million years ago and includes the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Key periods include the Carboniferous, Permian, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Quaternary.
The geological time scale is used to divide Earth's history into standardized units of time. It is based on studying rock layers and fossils worldwide. The largest divisions are eons, which are divided into eras, then periods and epochs. The Precambrian eon occurred from 4.6 billion to 540 million years ago and included the Archean and Proterozoic eras. The Phanerozoic eon began 540 million years ago and includes the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Key periods include the Carboniferous, Permian, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Quaternary.
The geological time scale is used to divide Earth's history into standardized units of time. It is based on studying rock layers and fossils worldwide. The largest divisions are eons, which are divided into eras, then periods and epochs. The Precambrian eon occurred from 4.6 billion to 540 million years ago and included the Archean and Proterozoic eras. The Phanerozoic eon began 540 million years ago and includes the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras. Key periods include the Carboniferous, Permian, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Quaternary.
TIME S CALE A BRIEF HISTORY OF EARTH SINCE 4.6 BILLION YEARS. WHAT IS GEOLOGICAL TIME SCALE
• 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 "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)
‘mya refers to million years ago’.
C RY P T O Z O I C E O N (PRECAMBRIAN TIME) • Lasted from 540 million years ago to 4600 million years ago. • Oldest and longest (covers almost 90% of earth's history). • simple organisms-bacteria, algae, protozoa was born. • Oldest rocks that we know were found in this eon which dates to about 3.5 billion years old. • Divided into 2 eras: Proterozoic and Archean era. ARCHEAN ERA
• Lasted from 2500 million years ago
- 4600 million years ago. • Earliest plants (marine algae) developed. • The first life bacteria came into existence (3800 million years. ago). • The oldest rocks (3500 million. years ago) were formed in this era. PROTEROZOIC ER A
• Lasted from 540 million years ago
to 2500 million years ago. • Marine invertebrates were probably common, few with shells. • Glaciations took place in this era, probably worldwide. PHANEROZOIC EON
• Began from 540 million years ago
and is still continuing today. • Divided into three eras: i) Paleozoic era (Past life) ii) Mesozoic era (Middle life) iii)Cenozoic era (Present life) PA L E O Z O I C E R A • Began 570 million years ago and ended 250 million years ago. • Divided into 6 periods (Permian, Carboniferous period, Devonian, Silurian, Ordovician, Cambrian). • For the first time on Earth, organisms had hard parts (shells, exoskeletons). • Evolution and development of pteridophytes, amphibians, reptiles, fishes, wing bearing insects, trilobites etc. MESOZOIC ER A
• Lasted from 250 million years ago to 65
million years ago. • Popularly known as Time of Reptiles. • Divided into three periods: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. • Dinosaurs, mammals and gymnosperms appeared. CENOZOIC ER A
• From 65 million years ago to present
days. • Divided into two periods: Tertiary and Quarternary. • Development of modern mammals, angiosperms and human beings. I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E H IS TORY OF E ARTH
i) Carboniferous Period It lasted from 360
million years to 300 Million years. It is an important period of Paleozoic era. During this period, first reptiles and pteridophytes were formed and coal plants got spread. The dead bodies got buried in this period forming the coals that we use today. I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E H IS TORY OF E ARTH
ii) Permian
It lied between 300 million years to 250
million years. It is also an important period of Paleozoic era. Largest mass extinction happened in this period. Scientists are not sure what caused this mass extinction (maybe climate change & volcanoes). 90% of ocean life and 78% of land life died. I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E H IS TORY OF E ARTH
iii) Jurassic
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. I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E H IS TORY OF E ARTH 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. I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E H IS TORY OF E ARTH v) Quaternary 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.