MODULE Earth and Life Science

12

GEOLOGIC
TIME SCALE
OBJECTIV
ES
1. Describe how the Earth’s history can be interpreted from the geologic time
scale
2. Identify the different division of the geologic time
3. Classify the different living organisms in each geological time
4. Interpret the Geologic time scale table.
PRETEST
PRETEST
ANSWERS
1. B
2. D
3. B
4. C
5. B
Eon – is the largest division. It spans hundreds to thousands of millions of years.
According to Geologist, it is divided into two major eons; the Precambrian time and
phanerozoic eon. Precambrian time is composed of three eons, the Hadean,
Archean, and Proterozoic. This time establishes the formation of the Earth until
the time when multicellular organisms appeared.

Era – the subdivision of eons is the era. The span-time periods are tens to
hundreds of millions of years. There are three major eras: the Paleozoic, the
Mesozoic, and the Cenozoic era.

Periods – one of numerous subdivisions of geologic time allowing cross-

referencing of rocks and geologic events from place to place. Period used to split
the hierarchy divisions of Earth’s history.

Epoch – is a subdivision that is longer than an age and shorter than a period.
This is most commonly used by the younger Cenozoic era wherein the greater
collection of fossils have been found.
 EARTH’S HISTORY

Hadean eon – it was name after the Greek god and ruler Hades, which means hell
and was considered as the chaotic eon. The earth was bombarded with meteors
and severe volcanic activities. The atmosphere as well as the ocean were just
forming. The core and the crust were stabilized. Planet Earth during this eon is
inhospitable for life.

Archean eon – at this eon, planet Earth was probably

warm. The atmosphere has no oxygen and mostly
methane content. Earth was covered with ocean
and the continent began to arise during the
Archean eon. There was an abundance of volcanoes
during this eon, the sky is filled with methane. the
shoreline was marked with stromatolites.
Stromatolites are defined as “laminated organo-
sedimentary structure”. it traps
and binds or precipitation of minerals by microorganisms. Fossil
stromatolites establish our earliest and most pervasive record of life on Earth.

Proterozoic eon – It is the longest time scale that lasted almost haft the age of
the Earth. This time period was known as the time for great change. The
atmosphere was filled with oxygen giving the single unit eukaryotic cell to
arise, the appearance of multicellular and animal life. The Continent was
also moving drifting to other regions.

Phanerozoic eon – plants and animals are abundant in this

geologic time. It covers up to 541 million years up to the
present.

Phanerozoic eon means visible life. This eon has three eras:
the Paleozoic era, the Mesozoic era, and the Cenozoic era.
Mesozoic Era – This era recovered from the great dying but and it took
a million years ago. Mesozoic means “middle life”, form 245 million
years to 65 million years ago. As Continents are breaking apart or
Pangaea, living organisms developed. This era was known as the age of
reptiles, mostly the dinosaurs. Scientists believed that the ancestor of
these dinosaurs in this era were the survivors of the Paleozoic Era.
Cenozoic era – Cenozoic era is known as the “modern life”. It is also
known as the age of mammals. Mammals dominated after the
extinction of the dinosaurs.
ACTIVITY
Thank
you!