Transcript Geologic Time Scale A Historical Perspective

Geologic Time Scale
A Historical Perspective
Reference:
Tarbuck & Lutgens
Pages 291 - 308
Geologic Time Scale
A Historical Perspective
Scientist and their contribution to the Geologic Time Scale.
Nicolaus Steno
 Principle of Original Horizontality.
 Principle of Superposition.
James Hutton and Charles Lyell
 Principle of Uniformitarianism
William Smith
 Principle of Faunal Succession
Geologic Time Scale
What do the divisions of the geologic time scale signify?
Eons
Eras
Divisions of Geologic Time
Eon,
Largest
span of
time
Era,
Period,
Epoch
Smallest
span of
time
Geologic Time Scale
MESOZOIC
PROTEROZOIC
P
H
A
N
E
R
O
Z
O
I
C
C
E
N
O
Z
O
I
C
P
A
L
E
O
Z
O
I
C
Sample Problem
1. Which geological time span is referred to as the “Age of Reptiles”?
(A) Cenozoic
(C) Paleozoic
(B) Mesozoic
(D) Proterozoic
2. Which time span would least likely contain fossil evidence?
(A) Cenozoic
(B) Mesozoic
(C) Paleozoic
(D) Precambrian
3. Rocks from which era would contain fossils of trilobites?
(A) Cenozoic
(B) Mesozoic
(C) Paleozoic
(D) Phanerozoic
NOTE: This concept usually tested as multiple choice