geological timescale Flashcards
longest subdivision; based on the abundance of certain fossils
eons
next to longest; marked by major changes in the fossil record
eras
based on types of life existing at the time
period
shortest subdivision; marked by differences in life forms and an vary from continent to continent
epochs
divides up the history of the earth based on life forms that have existed during specific times since the creation of the planet
geologic time scale
came up with the geological time scale
nicholas steno
remains or traces of an organism from the geologic past that has been preserved in sediment or rock
fossils
Eons, Eras, Epochs, and Periods are divisions known as?
geochronologic units
Named for exposures of Strata found in a type section in Wales by British Geologist Adam Sedgwick
Cambrian
named after significant outcrops first discovered near Devonshire, England
Devonian
Jurassic: Named for representative strata first seen in the Jura Mountains by German geologist _____ in ____
Humboldt 1795
age of mammals
cenozoic
age of reptiles
mesozoic
age of invertebrates
paleozoic
no life possible
4600, precambrian (hadean, archean, and proterozoic ages)
-SC near equator
-island arc move toward north america
-explosion of life
-phyla came into being
-oxygen levels rose enough to support life
-trilobites and brachiopods
Paleozoic, Cambrian (540)
-construction of south carolina
-extinction due to growth of ice caps
-first animals with bones
-dominant: marine
-corals and trilobites
Paleozoic, Ordovician (490)
-extensive erosion
-first land plants appear and land animals follow
Paleozoic, Silurian (443)
- Acadian Orogeny - SC
metamorphism
-dominant: fish
-amphibians, evergreens, and ferns appear
Paleozoic, Devonian (417)
-much of north am is underwater
-first seed plants appear
-sea life fluorishes
-coral, brachiopods, blastoids, and bryozoa
Paleozoic, Carboniferous, Mississippian (354)
-great swamps develop (future coal deposits)
-reptiles develop from amphibians
-flying insects appear
Paleozoic, Carboniferous, Pennysylvanian (320)
-pangaea forms
-appalachians rise
-90% extinction including trilobites, blastoids, fish, and amphibians because of heavy volcanism in Siberia
Permian (290)
-pangaea begins to break apart
-rocky mountains and sierra nevada form
-first dinosaurs, mammals, crinoids, and modern echinoids appear
Mesozoic, Triassic (248)
Golden Age of Dinosaurs
First birds appear
western US: orogeny of rockies
NA continues to rotate away from africa
Mesozoic, Jurassic (206)
-mass extinction by a meteorite impact
-bye bye dinosaurs, ammonites, and 25% of marine life
-trex develops
-snakes, angiosperms, and first primates appear
-
Mesozoic, Cretaceous (144)
earthquakes common
cat sized horses
tropical plants dominate (yan ang tipo ko sa mga plants, dominant🥵🥵)
Cenozoic, Tertiary, Paleocene (65.0)
sea levels rise
grass spreads
diverse array of animals such as whales, rhinos, and elephants
Cenozoic, Tertiary, Eocene (54.8)
appalachians uplift
erosion increases
cats dogs apes
Cenozoic, Tertiary, Oligocene (33.7)
sandhills form
horses, mastadons, mammoths, tigers and camels live in south Carolina
Cenozoic, Tertiary, Milocene (23.8)
volcanic activity in NA and africa
grand canyon forms
hominids develop
Cenozoic, Tertiary, Pliocene (5.3)
ice sheets form
modern humans go brr
asians arrive
Cenozoic, Quarternary, Pleistocene (1.8)
beaches and barrier islands form
mastadons gone
human culture fluorishes
extinction
cenozoic, quarternary, holocene (0.1)
cenozoic, mesozoic, paleozoic, are considered as
eras
quarternary, tertiary, cretaceous, jurassic, triassic, permian and more
periods
holocene, pliocene chuchu
epochs
