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Geologic Times Illustrated

The document summarizes the geologic time scale used by scientists to describe events in Earth's history. It is divided into eons like the Precambrian, which are divided into eras, then periods and epochs. The time scale shows the progression of time from the formation of Earth to the present in four timelines at different scales. Corresponding rock layers are also named according to the time spans they belong to, and geologists qualify the units as early, mid, and late in time and lower, middle, and upper in rock layers.

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54 views10 pages

Geologic Times Illustrated

The document summarizes the geologic time scale used by scientists to describe events in Earth's history. It is divided into eons like the Precambrian, which are divided into eras, then periods and epochs. The time scale shows the progression of time from the formation of Earth to the present in four timelines at different scales. Corresponding rock layers are also named according to the time spans they belong to, and geologists qualify the units as early, mid, and late in time and lower, middle, and upper in rock layers.

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drjaved12000
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SUMMARY GEOLOGIC TIME SCALES

(NOTE: FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY)

The geologic time scale (GTS) is a system of chronological dating that relates geological strata (stratigraphy) to time, and is used
by geologists, paleontologists, and other Earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships of events that have occurred
during Earth's history. The tables of geologic time spans, presented here, agree with the nomenclature, dates and standard color codes set
forth by the International Commission on Stratigraphy.

The primary defined divisions of time are eons, in sequence the Hadean, the Archean, the Proterozoic and the Phanerozoic. The first three
of these can be referred to collectively as the Precambrian supereon. Eons are divided into eras, which are in turn divided
into periods, epochs and ages.
The following four timelines show the geologic time scale. The first shows the entire time from the formation of the Earth to the present, but
this gives little space for the most recent eon. Therefore, the second timeline shows an expanded view of the most recent eon. In a similar
way, the most recent era is expanded in the third timeline, and the most recent period is expanded in the fourth timeline.
Millions of Years
Corresponding to eons, eras, periods, epochs and ages, the terms "eonothem", "erathem", "system", "series", "stage" are used to refer to
the layers of rock that belong to these stretches of geologic time in Earth's history.
Geologists qualify these units as "early", "mid", and "late" when referring to time, and "lower", "middle", and "upper" when referring to the
corresponding rocks. For example, the lower Jurassic Series in chronostratigraphy corresponds to the early Jurassic Epoch
in geochronology.[2] The adjectives are capitalized when the subdivision is formally recognized, and lower case when not; thus "early
Miocene" but "Early Jurassic."
ORDOVICIAN STARTS 500 MILLION YEARS AGO
SILURIAN

DEVONIAN 365 4 LEGGEDMAMMALS

359-299 CARBONEFOROUS

PERMIAN (from permafrost) 299 TO 252 PANGEA

TRIASIC EXTINCTION

JURASSIC 199 145


65 MILLON VANISHED

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