GEOLOGIC

TIME S CALE
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF EARTH SINCE
4.6 BILLION YEARS.
 WHAT IS GEOLOGICAL TIME SCALE

• The Geological time scale is a record of the

life forms and geological events in Earth’s
history.
• Scientists developed the time scale by
studying rock layers and fossils world wide.
• Radioactive dating helped determine the
absolute divisions in the time scale.
GIVING TIME A NAME

• The largest sections are

called "eons“.
• "Eons" are divided into
"eras" (the 2nd largest
section).
• "Eras" are divided
"periods".
• Periods are divided into
“epochs”.
 EONS
• Largest, most general
division of time.
• 2 Eons
• The eons are: Cryptozoic
(Precambrian) eon and
Phanerozoic eon.
• Precambrian and
Phanerozoic eon both
consists of three eras as
shown in the figure.
 ERAS
• Each Eon is broken up into
Eras.
• Major eras in Earth's history:
• Archean (4600 mya - 2500 mya)
• Proterozoic (2500 mya - 540
mya)
• Paleozoic (540mya - 250mya)
• Mesozoic (250 mya 65.5
mya)Cenozoic (65.5 mya -
present)

‘mya refers to million years ago’.

 C RY P T O Z O I C E O N
(PRECAMBRIAN TIME)
• Lasted from 540 million years ago
to 4600 million years ago.
• Oldest and longest (covers almost
90% of earth's history).
• simple organisms-bacteria, algae,
protozoa was born.
• Oldest rocks that we know were
found in this eon which dates to
about 3.5 billion years old.
• Divided into 2 eras: Proterozoic
and Archean era.
 ARCHEAN ERA

• Lasted from 2500 million years ago

- 4600 million years ago.
• Earliest plants (marine algae)
developed.
• The first life bacteria came into
existence (3800 million years. ago).
• The oldest rocks (3500 million.
years ago) were formed in this
era.
 PROTEROZOIC ER A

• Lasted from 540 million years ago

to 2500 million years ago.
• Marine invertebrates were
probably common, few with
shells.
• Glaciations took place in this era,
probably worldwide.
 PHANEROZOIC EON

• Began from 540 million years ago

and is still continuing today.
• Divided into three eras:
i) Paleozoic era (Past life)
ii) Mesozoic era (Middle life)
iii)Cenozoic era (Present life)
 PA L E O Z O I C E R A
• Began 570 million years ago and ended
250 million years ago.
• Divided into 6 periods (Permian,
Carboniferous period, Devonian,
Silurian, Ordovician, Cambrian).
• For the first time on Earth, organisms
had hard parts (shells, exoskeletons).
• Evolution and development of
pteridophytes, amphibians, reptiles,
fishes, wing bearing insects, trilobites
etc.
 MESOZOIC ER A

• Lasted from 250 million years ago to 65

million years ago.
• Popularly known as Time of Reptiles.
• Divided into three periods: Triassic,
Jurassic and Cretaceous.
• Dinosaurs, mammals and
gymnosperms appeared.
 CENOZOIC ER A

• From 65 million years ago to present

days.
• Divided into two periods: Tertiary and
Quarternary.
• Development of modern mammals,
angiosperms and human beings.
 I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E
H IS TORY OF E ARTH

i) Carboniferous Period It lasted from 360

million years to 300 Million years. It is an
important period of Paleozoic era. During
this period, first reptiles and pteridophytes
were formed and coal plants got spread.
The dead bodies got buried in this period
forming the coals that we use today.
 I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E
H IS TORY OF E ARTH

ii) Permian

It lied between 300 million years to 250

million years. It is also an important period
of Paleozoic era. Largest mass extinction
happened in this period. Scientists are not
sure what caused this mass extinction
(maybe climate change & volcanoes). 90% of
ocean life and 78% of land life died.
 I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E
H IS TORY OF E ARTH

iii) Jurassic

Jurassic is an important period of Mesozoic

era. It lasted from 250 million years ago to
200 million years ago. During this period,
first birds and mammals were formed.
Gymnosperms were dominating plants. The
dinosaurs were formed in Triassic period
reached at their peak in this period.
 I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E
H IS TORY OF E ARTH
iv) Cretaceous

It is a period of Mesozoic era which lasted

from 150 million years ago to 65.5 million
years ago. It marked the end of the
Mesozoic Era and the beginning of the
Cenozoic Era. All of the dinosaurs and half
of the other animals & plants went extinct
in this period. Scientists think an asteroid hit
Earth, the dust clouds blocked out the sun.
As a result, plants died, then herbivores,
then carnivores.
 I M P O RTA N T P E R I O D S I N T H E
H IS TORY OF E ARTH
v) Quaternary period

It is a period of Cenozoic era which has

been lasting from 1.8 million years ago to
present days. In this period, the humans
evolved as the most intelligent creature of
earth and took over. It is divided into 2
epochs namely: Pleistocene and Holocene.