Overview
Geological time and stratigraphy are essential concepts in geology that help us understand the history of Earth. The geological time scale divides Earth's history into manageable segments, allowing scientists to study the evolution of life and geological events over billions of years. Stratigraphy, ...
Key Terms
Example: The Phanerozoic eon is the current eon, starting about 541 million years ago.
Example: The Mesozoic era is known as the age of dinosaurs.
Example: The Jurassic period is famous for its large dinosaurs.
Example: Each stratum in a sedimentary rock formation can tell a different story.
Example: Biostratigraphy helps geologists understand the relative ages of rock layers.
Example: Trilobites are considered index fossils for the Paleozoic era.
Related Topics
Paleontology
The study of fossils and ancient life forms, providing insights into Earth's biological history.
intermediateSedimentology
The study of sedimentary rocks and processes, crucial for understanding stratigraphy.
intermediateGeochronology
The science of determining the age of rocks and fossils, using various dating techniques.
advancedTectonics
The study of Earth's structural features and the processes that shape them, related to geological time.
advancedKey Concepts
Geological Time ScaleStratigraphic PrinciplesFossil CorrelationRadiometric Dating