GEOLOGIC

TIMELINE
Jennefer A. Olalde
Objectives:
• Describe how the Earth’s history can
be interpreted from the geologic time
scale.
• Define fossils and its type.
• Determine the guide fossils that are
used to define and identify subdivision
of the geologic time scale.
• Track the Earth’s history using the
geologic time scale.
• Identify the different divisions in the
geologic time scale.
Objectives:
• Describe how the Earth’s history can
be interpreted from the geologic time
scale.
• Define fossils and its type.
• Determine the guide fossils that are
used to define and identify subdivision
of the geologic time scale.
• Track the Earth’s history using the
geologic time scale.
• Identify the different divisions in the
geologic time scale.
Fossil is a preserved remains or traces of
plants, animals, and other organisms from the
past. It provides an evidence of the past
events in Earth’s geological history.
Fossil record – this are the history of life
as documented by all fossils which preserved
in sedimentary rock strata
Index fossils – serves as a guide or
indicator of certain geologic periods. This are
used to correlate the age of the rock strata. If
two different rocks in different areas on the
earth contain the same index fossils, then
probably the strata have the same age.
• Paleontologist and geologist usually present the geologic
time scale in vertical manner. The arrangement is derived
from the vertical succession of rock strata of Earth. Based
on the Principle of Superposition, new layers can be
arranged down only on top of preexisting older rock
strata. Therefore, older rocks lie below younger ones.
• Once they have obtained the numerical age, they can be
integrating it with vertical time to create geologic time
scale. Scientist often interested in the ages in the
boundaries between different eras, periods, and epochs
because these often mark important events in Earth’s
history.
• As geologist collects new fossils evidence, these
boundary dates shift and geologist improve the numerical
dates.
• The combined relative or absolute time scale is in fact
constantly revised to create a precise presentation of the
history of the Earth.
Earth’s History