GENERAL BIOLOGY 2 Geologic Time Scale
GENERAL BIOLOGY 2 Geologic Time Scale
GENERAL BIOLOGY 2 Geologic Time Scale
The history of the Earth covers a vast expanse of time, so scientists divide it into smaller sections that
are associated with particular events that have occurred in the past. The approximate time range of
each time span is shown on the poster. The largest time span of the geologic time scale is the eon. It is
an indefinitely long period of time that contains at least two eras. Geologic time is divided into two
eons. The more ancient eon is called the Precambrian, and the more recent is the Phanerozoic. Each eon
is subdivided into smaller spans called eras. The Precambrian eon is divided from most ancient into the
Hadean era,Archean era, and Proterozoic era. See Figure 1.
Precambrian Eon
Proterozoic Era 2500 - 550 million years ago
Archaean Era 3800 - 2500 million years ago
Hadean Era 4600 - 3800 million years ago
Paleozoic Era
Permian Period 300 - 250 million years ago
Carboniferous Period 350 - 300 million years ago
Devonian Period 400 - 350 million years ago
Silurian Period 450 - 400 million years ago
Ordovician Period 500 - 450 million years ago
Cambrian Period 550 - 500 million years ago
Figure 2. Periods of the Paleozoic Era
The Mesozoic Era contains the Triassic,Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, as illustrated in Figure 3. It is
often called the Age of the Dinosaurs because of its famous inhabitants.
Mesozoic Era
Cretaceous Period 150 - 65 million years ago
Jurassic Period 200 - 150 million years ago
Triassic Period 250 - 200 million years ago
Figure 3. Periods of the Mesozoic Era
The two periods of the Cenozoic Era are the Tertiary and Quaternary. A period is divided into an even
smaller unit called an epoch. The Tertiary period of the Cenozoic era is comprised of the Paleocene,
Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene. The Quaternary period of the Cenozoic era includes the
Pleistocene and Holocene (Recent) epochs. See Figure 4.
Quaternary Period 2 million years ago - present
Recent (or Halocene) 0.01 million years ago – present
Pleistocene 2 - 0.01 million years ago
Tertiary Period 65 - 0.01 million years ago Pliocene 5 - 2 million years ago
Miocene 25 - 5 million years ago Oligocene 35 - 25 million years ago
Eocene 55 - 35 million years ago
Paleocene 65 - 55 million years ago
Figure 4. Periods and Epochs of the Cenozoic Era
Figure 5.The break up of Pangaea and the movements of continents over time
NAME:___________________________________
Worksheet # 1 – The Geologic Time Scale
Answer the questions in the spaces provided.
1. Explain the relationships among eons, eras, epochs, and periods of the geologic time scale.
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2. How did scientists account for fossils and other geological evidence as they developed the geologic
time scale?______________________________________________________________________
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3. Match the description with the appropriate subdivision of the geologic time scale.
Use each term once.
Description Term
_____ Hadean, Archaean, and Proterozoic A. Paleozoic
_____ Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous B. Cenozoic
_____ Tertiary and Quaternary C. Precambrian
_____ Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, D. Mesozoic Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian.