Geologic Time Scale

Eras and Mass Extinctions Earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago Life began 3.6 billion years ago 80% of time: formation up to Paleozoic era Paleozoic : Age of Invertebrates Mesozoic: Age of Dinosaurs Cenozoic: Age of Mammals

Measuring Time Actual time: measurement, quantitative Relative time: comparison (24 hours clock of geologic time) Radioactive dating: used to measure lengths of time by observing remaining amounts of compound Half-life: the amount of time it takes for one half of a sample to decay

Plate Tectonics
Zones of Interior Earth Geology: science of dynamic processes occurring on the earths surface and in its interior Interior: core, mantle, and crust Core: innermost zone, extremely hot, solid inner, surrounded by liquid core of molten material Mantle: thick zone, surrounds core, mainly solid rock; Outer part called asthenosphere (pliable rock that flows) Crust: outermost, thinnest zone, continental crust (continents) and oceanic crust (about 71%) Moving Tectonic Plates Convection cells move rock and heat in loops within mantle Flows of energy in convection cells cause tectonic plates to move slowly Plates float on asthenosphere/sea of magma Plates composed of crust/outer mantle (lithosphere)

Plate Boundaries Convergent: internal forces push two plates together o Subduction: oceanic and continental plates, oceanic goes down into mantle

o Two oceanic plates: Subducted plate melts and rises, forming trench o Two continental plates: forms mountain ranges Divergent: internal forces draw two plates apart o Two ocean plates: magma comes out from in between, forming oceanic ridges Transform: plates slide past each other to form fault in lithosphere o Most found in ocean, but some on land o Commonly cause earthquakes Earthquakes Found at plate boundaries Colliding plates create pressure in crust that release through earthquakes Intercontinental faults very dangerousenergy goes through ground Volcanoes density land Part of descending plate Oceanic plate subducts

under continental due to high

melts and rises to form volcanoes on

Found along convergent boundaries most commonly Volcanic eruptions have important advantages for life Formed Earths primitive atmosphere and climate by expelling water vapor, carbon dioxide, other gasses Rocks and lava from volcanoes produce rich soils

Seasons, Solar Intensity, Latitudes

Causes of Seasons Earth tilted on axis about 23.5 degrees while traveling around the Sun Causes various regions to be tipped toward/away the Sun Variations in amount of solar energy create seasons in two hemispheres Solar Intensity/Latitude Latitude: determines how high/low location is on Earth Solar intensity greatest at equatorconstant through all seasons Solar intensity varies dependent on tilt of earth at other times of years Very far north/south has long/short days dependent on time of year