Geological History Quiz

It infers that young strata overlay older.

Radioactive decay of unstable isotopes.

Rapid appearance of complex life in the fossil record around 540 Ma.

It explains the disruption of rock layers and their relative ages.

A collision with an asteroid

Mesozoic era

The Sun will briefly expand into a red giant

Spike for iridium (extra-terrestrial element) at K-T boundary

Principle of original horizontality = Infer that young strata overlay older Principle of stratigraphic superposition = Disrupted pattern is older than the cause of disruption Principle of cross-cutting relationships = E.g. faults, magma injections Relative time = E.g. interpret that trilobites predated dinosaurs who predated humans

Eons = Billions of years Eras = Hundreds of millions of years Periods = Tens of millions of years Paleozoic = 540-250 million years ago

Geochronology = Using unstable isotopes for absolute ages Cambrian explosion = Rapid appearance of complex life in fossil record Uniformitarianism = Geologic processes at present are the same as those in the past Giga annum = Billion years

Earth creation = 4.7 billion years ago Cambrian explosion = Around 540 million years ago Chicxulub impact crater formation = Around 66 million years ago K-T extinction event = Around 66 million years ago

First land plants in Silurian = Middle Paleozoic Time of dinosaurs and emergence of mammals = Mesozoic era Cenozoic era - time of the mammals = Cenozoic Solar system forms from nebula = Hadean eon

Lots of impact, including a huge one which formed the moon = Solar system forms from nebula First soil and emergence of dinosaurs = Middle Paleozoic Magma ocean, water vapour, lots of impacts = Hadean eon Massive tsunamis along Atlantic coasts at ~65 Ma = K-T extinction event

Bipedal movement and emergence of dinosaurs = Mesozoic era First forests and first seed plants = Middle Paleozoic Sun will run out of fuel and briefly expand into a red giant = The future Earth will cease to exist in about 5 billion yrs = Cenozoic

Spike for iridium (extra-terrestrial element) at K-T boundary = K-T extinction event Chicxulub impact crater at Yucatan = K-T extinction event Evidence for Bolide Impact and emergence of mammals = Cenozoic era Almost vertebrates (in land, sea, air) become extinct at 65 Ma = K-T extinction event

The principle of original horizontality states that sedimentary layers are originally deposited in horizontal layers. This principle is used to infer that younger sedimentary layers overlay older ones, helping to determine the relative ages of rock formations.

The principle of cross-cutting relationships helps geologists determine the relative ages of geological features. It states that any geological feature that cuts across another feature must be younger than the feature it cuts across. This principle is used to understand the sequence of geological events such as faulting, magma injections, and other disruptions.

Geochronology is the science of determining the ages of rocks, fossils, and sediments. It is based on the radioactive decay of unstable isotopes present in these materials. Since unstable isotopes decay at precise rates, their decay can be used as a geological chronometer to determine absolute ages of geological events.

The Cambrian explosion refers to the relatively rapid appearance of complex life forms in the fossil record around 540 million years ago. It is significant because it marks a massive diversification of species, often referred to as the 'big bang of ecology', and provides important insights into the early evolution of life on Earth.

The K-T extinction event, occurring around 65 million years ago, led to the extinction of almost all vertebrates in land, sea, and air, as well as many invertebrates and land plants. The event is believed to have been caused by a massive asteroid, approximately 10km in diameter, colliding with Earth, resulting in a 'nuclear winter' atmospheric effect. Evidence for this impact includes the presence of iridium, an extraterrestrial element, at the K-T boundary, as well as the discovery of the Chicxulub impact crater at Yucatan and evidence of massive tsunamis along Atlantic coasts.

The Mesozoic era, spanning from 250 to 65 million years ago, was the time of dinosaurs and witnessed the emergence of various species. It saw the emergence of dinosaurs in the Triassic period, along with swimming and flying reptiles. Mammals also developed during this era. Additionally, the era saw the opening of the Atlantic, the appearance of the first birds in the Jurassic period, and the presence of gymnosperms and cycad trees. The era ended with the K-T extinction event, resulting in the extinction of nearly 60% of species on the planet.

The Hadean eon, starting around 4,567 million years ago, marked the formation of the solar system from a nebula. As the solar system contracted and spun, a disc formed with the Sun at its center and inner rocky planets, including Earth. Significant events during this eon include the formation of the Moon from a huge impact, the presence of a magma ocean and water vapor, and numerous impacts. Additionally, the middle Paleozoic saw the emergence of the first land plants in the Silurian period, amphibians in the Devonian period, the first seed plants, forests, and soil.

The Cenozoic era, from 65 million years ago to the present, is known as the time of the mammals. The future predictions include the formation of the next supercontinent 'Pangea Ultima' in 250 million years and the eventual cessation of Earth's existence in about 5 billion years, as the Sun runs out of fuel and briefly expands into a red giant, leading to the evaporation of Earth. These estimations are based on scientific models and understanding of stellar evolution and planetary dynamics.