EARTH’S HISTORY

EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS
 WHAT IS PETROLOGY?

deals with the origin,

composition, structure and
classification of rocks.
•Stratigraphy – study of rock
layers(Strata) and
layering(stratifications)
•Paleontology – study of life that
existed prior to; study of fossils
• Relative dating – places events or rocks in their
chronological sequence or order of occurrence
without knowing their actual age. One can find out
which layer was formed first relative to the other
layers. It cannot tell exactly how many years have
passed since the event happened.
 RELATIVE DATING

1. Principle of Original Horizontality

2. Principle of Superposition
3. Principle of Cross-cutting Relationships
4. Principle of Inclusion
PRINCIPLE OF ORIGINAL HORIZONTALITY
• Sedimentary rocks are deposited as
horizontal or nearly horizontal layers. Any
deviation from horizontal; indicates that
deformation occurs after the deposition.
PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION

•Sequence of sedimentary rocks,

the layers at the bottom of the
sequence is the oldest, and the
successively higher levels are
successively younger.
PRINCIPLE OF CROSS-CUTTING
RELATIONSHIPS
•Geologic features like faults or
igneous intrusions are younger
than the rocks they cut across.
PRINCIPLE OF INCLUSION

•If rocks or rocks fragments are

included within another rock
layers, the rock fragments must be
older than rock layer where they
were embedded.
ABSOLUTE DATING
•Places actual ages of rocks and
events.
•Based on decay rate of certain
radioactive isotopes within fossils,
rocks and artifacts.
 FOSSILS: EVIDENCE OF PAST LIFE
Fossil is a remnant or trace of organisms of a past
geologic age.
There are different types of fossils:
1. True form fossils – trapped and preserved
2. Mold fossils – mold / hollow impressions
3. Cast fossils – minerals harden / replica
4. Trace fossils or ichnofossils – impression of
rocks
Principles of Fossils Succession – fossils
organisms succeed one another in a definite
and determined order and therefore, any
time period can be recognized by its fossil
content.
Index Fossils – fossils recognized as time
indicators, used in correlating rocks of
similar age in different regions.
EARTH’S HISTORY INTO DIFFERENT UNITS

•Eons
•Eras
•Periods
•Epochs
PHANEROZOIC

PRECAMBRIAN
1. HADEAN – chaotic eon PRECAMBRIAN
• Hades = hell
• Earth’s surface was continually bombarded by meteorites.
2. ARCHEAN
• Methane
• Most of the Earth was covered with ocean
• Continent formation
3. PROTEROZOIC EON
• Longest period that lasted almost half the age of Earth
• Oxygenation of the atmosphere, eukaryote life (multicellular animal life) and
motion of continental drift
PHANEROZOIC EON

1. Paleozoic Era
2. Mesozoic Era
3. Cenozoic Era
• Many fossils were found in layers of sedimentary
rocks.
• Marine life also developed.
• Clams and snails
• Fishes
• Land plants/giant ferns
• Reptiles appeared
•Largest creatures – dinosaurs
•Early reptiles were the largest,
most powerful and fiercest
creatures that ever lived.
• Warm-blooded animals (marsupials like kangaroo and
primitive mammals)
• Fossils of mammals showed tooth structures for
specific diet, limb structures for various postures and
increased brain size.
• Modern horse, modern birds and deciduous trees
• Human left their marks on land.