Geologic Time Scale:

Relative and Absolute

Dating
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EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE
KEY POINTS:

1. What are the division in the Geologic Time Scale?

2. What are the characteristics of the major and sub-
divisions in the Geologic Time Scale?
3. How can the Earth’s history be interpreted from
the Geologic Time Scale?
Relative Dating
is the process of comparing and correlating rock layers to
determine the relative age of rocks.

Absolute/Radiometric Dating
is the process of determining the age of materials like rocks
and fossils of rock layers. It uses radioactive
isotopes( radioactive decay & half-life principles) to identify
the exact age of the materials.
Geologic Time Scale

 Serves as the calendar for events in Earth’s history.

 Serves as standard time-line used to describe the
age of rocks, fossils, & the events that formed
them.
DIVISION IN THE GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

EONS
 Are the longest portions in the Geologic Time.
Precambrian

 It accounts for 88% Earth’s history.

 Itis subdivided into three eons: Hadean, Archean, and

Proterozoic.
Hadean Eon

 Few rocks were deformed and metamorphosed.

Archaean Eon

 Marine rocks fossils remains of microscopic algae

and bacteria.
Proterozoic Eon

 Rifting of the continental crust.

 Subsequent filling with sedimentary and volcanic

rocks.
Paleozoic Era

 It is the beginning of early life.

 Allof continents had come together to form the
supercontinent called pangea.
 Itis characterized by rapid development of
terrestrial plants.
 Devonian period is known as the age of fishes.
Phanerozoic Eon

 It means visible life.

 It
is subdivided into eras: Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and
Cenozoic.
Mesozoic Era

 It also known as the age of dinosaurs.

 Pangea rifted into Laurasia and Gondwanaland.
Cenozoic Era

 Is
also known as the age of recent life or age of
mamals.
 Ithas the most complete record of any era because
the rocks are more accessible.
DIVISION OF THE CENOZOIC ERA

Cenozoic Era
 Thereare three periods in this era: Quaternary,
Paleogene and Neogene.
Quaternary Period

 It is the most recent period.

 It is also termed Anthropogene period.
 It
is divided into two epochs: Pleistocene and
Holocene.
 Holocene – when human civilization arose.
Paleogene Period

 Most Earth’s climate was tropical.

 Continents drifted apart creating vast stretches of
ocean.
 Itconsists the Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene
Epoch.
Neogene Period

 It gives rise to early primates.

 It consists of Miocene and Pliocene Epochs.
Things to Ponder
 Geologic Time Scale is a timeline illustrates Earth’s past.
 Geologic Time Scale describes the orders of duration of major on
Earth for the last 4.6 Billions Years.
 Geologic Time Scale was developed after the scientist observed
changes in the fossils and rocks going from oldest to youngest
sedimentary rocks.
 Geologic Time Scale was divided into four divisions which include
the Eons, Era, Period, and Epoch.
 Eons is the largest division in Geologic Time Scale.
Things to Ponder

 Relative Dating or age order of the rock form oldest to youngest.

 Relative Dating does not determine the exact age of rock or fossils
but does learn which one is older or younger than the other.
 Relative Age of rocks base on the order gives it’s physical division
in the Geologic Time Scale.
 Absolute Dating or age measures the amount of radioactive
elements in rocks to give the ages to each division of time in the
Geologic Time Scale.
 Absolute time refers to the numerical ages in millions of years or
some other measurements.