History of

Earth
Unit - 21
 Origin of Earth
Earth
Estimated age: about 4600 millions years
Diameter: 12800 km
Mass: 6x1024 kg
Relative density: 5.7
Satellite: 1 (Moon)
Surface area: 509,700,000 km2
Lithosphere: 148, 400,000 km2
Hydrosphere: 361,300,000 km2
Average distance from sun: 1.5x108 km
 Hypothesis on Origin of Earth
Our Earth is the member of solar sysem, so the origin of Earth is
directly related to the origin of solar system. Different hypohesis are
proposed about the origin of Earth and solar system, we will discuss
most relavent three of them:
a. Buffon’s hypothesis 3
b. Jeans and Jeffery hypothesis
c. Kant’s hypothesis
 Hypothesis on Origin of Earth
Buffon’s Hypothesis (Old planetisimal hypothesis)
Propounded by: George Buffon (France) in 1749 AD

According to Buffon’s hypothesis,

billions of years ago, a huge comet collided
with the Sun. The small masses of Sun were
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scattered around the it, these masses
(debris) slowly cooled down and started
revolving round the Sun due to gravitation
force of Sun. In this way, our Earth and
other planets were formed.
 Hypothesis on Origin of Earth
Jeans and Jefferey’s Hypothesis (Tidal hypothesis)
Propounded by: Sir Jeans James
Sir Harold Jeffrey (England) in 1917 AD
According to James and Jeffrey’s
hypothesis, billions of years ago, a star
came near to the Sun, the passing star cause
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the raise of long tide on the Sun, Later the
star passes away, the long tide fragmented
into small masses. These masses slowly
cooled down and started revolving round
the Sun due to gravitation force of Sun. In
this way, our Earth and other planets were
formed.
 Hypothesis on Origin of Earth
Kant’s Hypothesis (Nebular hypothesis)
Propounded by: Immanuel Kant
(German) in 1755 AD
later improved by Laplace
According to Kant’s hypothesis,
there was a huge cloud of whirling gases
and dust particles called Nebula. At the 6
center of nebula, a huge mass was collected
and nuclear reaction started on it due to higher
temperature and pressure so it formed the Sun.
In the peripheral region, small masses were
collected, that start revolving round the Sun
due to gravitational force of Sun. In this way,
our Earth and other planets were formed.
 History of Earth

Geological Time Scale: A scale that covers the earth’s

history from its origin to present is called geological time
scale.
It is broadly divided into four parts:
i. Eon 7

ii. Era
iii. Period
iv. Epoch
Eon is the largest division of geological time scale
Epoch is the smallest division of geological time scale
 Geological time Scale

Cryptozoic Eon Phanerozoic Eon

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Archean Era Proterozoic Era Paleozoic Era Cenozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
4600 – 2500 my 2500 – 570 my 570 – 250 my 65.5 my to
250 – 65.5 my
Present

Precambrian Era
4600 – 570 my
1. Cambrian Period 1. Triassic Period It is divided into two
2. Ordovician Period 2. Jurassic period periods; tertiary and
3. Silurian period 3. Cretaceous period quaternary which are
4. Devonian period further divided into
5. Carboniferous period epoch
6. Permian period
 History of Earth
Precambrian Era:
Time: 570 millions years ago to origin of Earth (4600 millions years)

Major events:
 Earth was hot ball of gases and dust particles, there was no
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possibility of life
 After 3800 millions years ago, some bacteria were formed
 After 3200 millions years ago, some algae were formed
 By the end of this era, many unicellular organism, cryptogams
and invertebrates were evolved
 History of Earth
Paleozoic Era:
Time: 250 to 570 millions years ago
Known as: Era of Amphibians
It is divided into 6 periods
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Major events:
 Evolution of vertebrates like fish
 Evolution of green plants and land animals.
 Evolution of amphibians and reptiles.
 Evolution of insects with wings, fern plant, frog
Mesozoic Era: History of Earth
Time: 65.5 to 250 millions years ago
Known as: Era of Reptiles
It is divided into 3 periods:
a. Triassic period b. Jurassic period c. Cretaceous period
Triassic Period:
 Time: 200 to 250 millions years ago
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 Evolution of dinosaurs
Jurassic Period:
 Time: 150 to 200 millions years ago
 Dominance of dinosaurs
Cretaceous Period:
 Time: 65.5 to 150 millions years ago
 Extinction of dinosaurs
 Evolution of flowering plants, insects
 History of Earth
Cenozoic Era:
Time: Present to 65.5 millions years ago
Known as: Era of Mammals

Major events:
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 Evolution of first mammals
 Evolution of whale, horse, bat
 Evolution of mammoths
 Evolution of grass, sharp toothed animals like cat
 Evolution of stone aged humans
 Evolution of modern man
Fossils
Fossils:
The imprints or impressions of the plants and animals that lived
thousands and millions of years ago are called fossils.
Fossils are mainly found on sedimentary rocks.
The branch of science that deals with the study of fossils is called
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paleontology.
Methods of identification of fossils:
 A part or whole body of plants and animals may preserved in the
form of impressions and imprints on the sedimentary rocks.
 A part or whole skeletal system may be preserved in the skeletal
system.
 The fossils may be in the form of molds and casting.
Fossils
Process of formation of fossils:
Millions of years ago, when the dead bodies of plants and animals
were buried below the earth’s crust, the soft part of their body
decomposed while hard part may be preserved in between the
layers of sedimentary rocks in the forms of impressions or
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imprints. Some skeletal may form the molds or casting. In this
way fossils were formed.
Importance of fossils:
 They help us to know about extinct plants and animals.
 They help to make geological time scale.
 They provide the evidence for organic evolution.
 They may be the source for the fossil fuels.
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