Earth and Life Science

Quarter 1 - Module 6
Geologic Time Scale and Geo-hazards

Lesson
Geologic Time Scale
1
What I Need to Know

Whenever we say the word a long time, it makes us think about the overlong length
of years. Even a million years are already an extraordinary length of time that seems to be
very unthinkable. Earth is a home of many living things. Its age is estimated to be 4.6
billion years.
Within those years, changes happened that seemed to be unnoticed. Some
scientists studied the past of Earth. To find answers to many questions, they kept on
looking for shreds of evidence. Their study paved the way for knowledge on the significant
events of the Earth and how long it took place. Can you imagine how volcanoes and
mountains formed? How the different gases are trapped in our atmosphere? How
dinosaurs just disappear? These are some of the questions we keep on asking ourselves.

What is It

Performing the first acti vity makes you imagine and look back at the history of the
Earth from the beginning to the present. As if you are watching a movie that shows pictures
on how Earth looked like billion years ago. Fast-forwarding, you see so many extraordinary
changes. In the beginning, there was no life on Earth. As many years went by, living things
existed, grew, flourished, and even contributed to more changes in our planet.

1
 Geologic Time requires an understanding of the Laws of Nature. It means that how
things work today is the same as they were before. It never changed. The discovery of
fossils or rocks is very helpful to scientists because it can be used as an instrument to
interpret the past. The different clues helped the scientists understand that Earth has
unique features. The place where we live right now probably looked different before. And it
is expected that it will no longer be the same in the future to com e. There were a lot of
attempts to form a Geologic Time Scale that can be applied in any place on Earth. But the
detailed studies of rocks and fossils conducted by scientists resulted in the order of
geologic periods we used today. Scientists divided the history of Earth into a chain of time
intervals. These time intervals are unequal in terms of numbers of days or hours and vary
in length. The division of Geologic Time is based on the significant events on Earth. The
layers on the surface of the Earth, from the recent origin down to the most ancient, made
possible to split Geological Time into Eons, Eras and Periods. These are the periods that
divide the history and evolution of Earth.
The concept map below summarizes the geological time scale.

At present, the Geologic Time Scale is divided into big portions of time known as
EONS. Eons are further divided into ERAS. Eras are divided into PERIODS. The Precam
brian Eon is the point of time in which our planet started to form. During this time, there
was no formation of any organism . What are evident are the abiotic features of the earth.
It represents more than 80 percent of the total records of geologic time and supported with
pieces of evidence found in rocks. During the Phanerozoic Eon, living organisms like
plants and animals existed. It constitutes the time of multicellular life on Earth and the
evolutionary process happened. This eon is further divided into the Paleozoic Era,
Mesozoic Era, Cenozoic Era. Significant events of Earth are used to determine the
boundaries of every Era.

2
 Eon Ea Period Biological Features
No evidence of life. Oldest fossils
PRECAMBRIAN known. Origin of Earth
Age of invertebrates
CAMBRIAN Marine algae flourish.
Abundance of marine algae.
ORDOVICIAN Appearance of first vertebrates.
Jawed Fishes appar.
SILURIAN Vascular plants invaded the lands.

First appearance of amphibians

DEVONIAN and insects. Age of fishes.
PALEOZOIC
Animals are mostly amphibians,seed
CARBONIFEROUS plants appear.
PERMIAN Reptiles, modern insects and
conifers appear
First mammal exists.
PHANEROZOIC TRIASSIC First Dinosaur appears
Age of Dinosaurs. Aves appear.
Plants with seeds are dominant
JURASSIC above the lands.
MESOZOIC
Extinction of dinosaurs and other
animals.
CRETACEOUS Placental mammals exist.
Flowering plants
appear.
Humans appear. Herbaceous
TERTIARY plants spread and diversified

CENOZOIC Age of Man Abundance of

PHANEROZOIC herbaceous plants.
QUATERNARY

What’s More (PERFORMANCE TASK 60% OF YOUR GRAE)

Activity 1. MY OWN TIMELINE

Objective: Create a timeline

of your life. Materials: Bond
paper, Pen, Ruler Procedure:
1. Place the long bond paper at the top of your arm chair in a landscape orientation.
2. Write “BIRTH” on the left most upper part of paper and “NOW” on the right most
upper part.
3. Divide the paper using ruler into a certain number of years. For example, 5, 10, 15,
etc. It depends on your age. Make a vertical line from top to bottom in every division.
4. Make a timeline of your life. Add up events that you think are unforgettable and
meaningful.
5. Make sure to write the events in sequence.

3
 Below is the linear arrangement of the Geologic Time Scale that
shows relationships between time periods and time frame.

Years Ago Eon Era Period Years Ago

Present QUATERNARY 1.8 mil
65 mil CENOZOIC TERITARY 65 mil
CRETACEOUS 145 mil
MESOZOIC JURASSIC 200 mil
245 mil TRIASSIC 245 mil
Phanerozoic PERMIAN 290 mil
CARBONIFEROUS 360 mil
PALEOZOIC DEVONIAN 410 mil
SILURIAN 440 mil
ORDOVICAN 505 mil
544 mil CAMBRIAN 544 mil

Precambrian

4.6 billion

Lesson 2 Geo-hazards
2

What’s In

Early people believed that our planet is the center of the universe. They thought
that the entire surface of Earth is flat, and the gods are responsible for all natural
phenomena. Now, we are living in a com petitive world because of the advancement of
technology. Everything changed from sim ple to com plex. People polished their beliefs
into knowledge based on observations in the environment and scientific principles.

What I Need to Know

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

1. Explain the meaning of Geologic Hazard.
2. Describe the various hazards that may happen in the event of earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and landslides.

4
 What is It

Geological hazard is a geological and environmental process. It includes

earthquakes, landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, etc. deaths of many people,
damage to properties, and destruction to our environment. In the past years, millions
of people died because of this phenomenon.
According to RA 10121 also known as Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Act, hazard is a dangerous natural phenomenon, substance, human
activity or condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other impacts, property
damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruptions or
environmental damage. Infrastructures, public or private facilities, households,
transportation, and humans are the elements exposed to these hazards.

Philippines is a home of many active volcanoes because it is situated in a region

called the Pacific Ring of Fire. When a volcano shows signs of eruptions, geologic
events like earthquake and landslides follow. So, it is important for you to be aware on
how it happens to reduce the possible effects it may cause.
Volcanic eruptions can have an extreme impact on the lives of organisms. Water,
land, or soil and air are affected. When people see that they are no longer safe in the area,
they are forced to leave their properties and belongings to be alive. The following are the
volcano hazards and its impact:

1. Pyroclastic
Flow and Surges
A mixture of ash, rock fragments and gas materials that leave devastating effects on
the area in which they flow.

2. Ballistic Projectiles
These are rocks from an erupting volcano blasted into the air.
3. Lahar
It is a mudflow from a mixture of volcanic water and rock fragments. It moves down
the slopes of the volcano into the surrounding area and destroying everything on its way.
4. Volcanic Gases
Gases present in toxic amount trapped in cavities in volcanic rocks dissolved in
magma or lava or through groundwater and is heated by volcanic activity.
5. Ash Falls
These are ashes produced during a volcanic eruption. It can destroy vegetation,
malfunctions engine, collapse roofs, and endanger health of people. Ashfall continues
even after the explosion and can affect the neighboring areas.
6. Tsunamis
These are substantial sea waves that occur when an underwater volcano erupts. Its
wave height could be higher than 5 meters. It can cause the death of humans, animals,
and destruction of infrastructures or properties when it hits offshore.

5
 Earthquake is another form of geologic hazard. It is a shaking of the ground due to
the released energy that forms seismic waves. Seismograph detects earthquakes that are
less felt. Earthquake hazards include the following:
1. Unsecured things that are open.
2. Electronic devices and appliances.
3. Grounds Breaking
It can cause mild or severe damage to properties or structures. The effects depend
on the magnitude of an earthquake or its distance from the epicenter.
4. Liquefaction
The strength and hardness of the soil are reduced. It happens when the groundwater
mixed with ground soil that makes the soil less stable.
5. Ground subsidence
Grounds sink due to earthquake.

Landslide is a geological hazard that includes movement of any debris, masses of

rock, or soil down a slope. It can occur in the offshore and coastal environment but com
posed of a weak strength of soil resting on a steep slope. Landslides hazards are falling
debris from a steep slope, pieces of rocks fall, and mudflow. Human activities like mining,
deforestation, quarrying, digging, and conversion of land to residential or industrial areas
contribute to this natural phenomenon.

What’s More

Activity 2. IDENTIFYING HAZARDS AND ITS EFFECTS

Objective: Describe the effects of the different GEO-HAZARDS Shown in the picture.
Materials: Pictures/clipart of earthquake, volcanic eruption and landslide
Paper and Pen.
Procedure:
1. Based on the pictures given, identify the different geologic hazards and
describe the effects these hazards (Give at least 3)