Geologic

Time Scale
Chapter 9,
Section 3

Measuring Time

The Earth has existed

for 4.6 billion years
The geologic time scale
divides all those years
into sections
Like how your science
book is divided into
Units, then Chapters,
then Sections, then
Pages
Each section is unique
because it shows a
specific change in life or
in the Earths surface

Giving Time a Name

The largest sections are called eons

Eons are divided into eras (the 2nd largest
section)
Eras are divided
into
periods
Then periods are
divided into epochs
Usually the oldest
sections are shown
on the bottom and
the most recent sections
are shown on the top

How is Time Divided?

Major changes in Earths history mark the

boundaries between the sections
Most sections have been divided because a
major organism developed or went extinct.

Extinction

Extinction = the death of

every member of a species
It can happen because of
competition between the
species, so some
organisms ran out of food
or space
It can happen because the
environment changed, and
some organisms could not
survive in the new
environment.

Mass Extinction

Mass extinction = the

extinction of many
species at the same time
Can you think of an
example of a mass
extinction?
It can be caused by
gradual changes in
climate or ocean currents
(Uniformitarianism)
Or by catastrophic events,
like an asteroid hitting the
earth and blocking out the
sun (Catastrophism)

Lets Talk About the Eras

Precambrian Time

Precambrian Time

Time from the formation of the Earth (4.6

billion years ago) to 542 million years ago
The Earth was very different then
At first, there was
no oxygen or living things
Then the first organisms
appeared in the oceans
3.6 billion years ago
They were called Prokaryotes

Prokaryotes

Only one cell and no nucleus

One type, Cyanobacteria,
were the first organisms on
Earth
Through photosynthesis, they
released oxygen into the air
As oxygen began to build up,
the ozone was formed
The ozone protects the Earth
against the suns harmful
rays (deadly to land
organisms)
Now organisms could live on
land too!

Eukaryotes

After another 1
billion years, more
complex organisms
developed
They were called
Eukaryotes
Many cells with a
nucleus
Evolved into
organisms on Earth
today

Paleozoic Era

Began 542 million years ago

and ended 251 million years
ago
Divided into 6 periods
Many new life forms appeared
during the 1st period, the
Cambrian Period =
Cambrian Explosion
For the first time on Earth,
organisms had hard parts
(shells, exoskeletons)
Some organisms that were alive
during this period still exist
today (ferns and salamanders)
but they were giants!

Permian Extinction

The largest mass

extinction happened 251
million years ago
Marked the end of the
Paleozoic Era and the
start of the Mesozoic Era
Scientists are not sure
what caused this mass
extinction (maybe climate
change & volcanoes)
90% of ocean life and
78% of land life died
Reptiles and amphibians
survived!

Mesozoic Era

Mesozoic Era

Began 251 million years ago

Surviving reptiles and amphibians evolved
into many other species (like dinosaurs) =
Age of Reptiles

Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction

Another mass extinction

happened 65 million years
ago
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
Scientists think an asteroid
hit Earth, the dust clouds
blocked out the sun, plants
died, then herbivores, then
carnivores.

Cenozoic Era

Cenozoic Era

Began 65 million years ago and continues today

Scientists know the most about this Era because
the fossils are in the top rock layers and are
easier to find
Land & climate has
changed a lot
What big change
will happen that
will end this era
& start the next?