Topic: Geological History of NY State

Take out ESRT pages 8 & 9

Take out you ESRT open to pages 8 & 9

Geological History of New York State

Division of Geological Time

Largest

Unit

Smallest

Unit

Eon: an indefinitely long period of time.

Precambrian4600 Ma to 570 Ma

Phanerozoic570 Ma to

present

Ma means million of years ago

ERAS are broken down to Time Periods.

The Phanerozoi

c Eon is divided

into time segments

called ERAS.

Paleozoic 570 Ma to 245 Ma

Cenozoic 65 Ma to present

Mesozoic 245 Ma to 66.4 Ma

Time Periods are broken down into

Epochs.

Life on Earth

Rock Record in

NYS

Time Distribution of

Fossils

Important Geological

Events in NYS

Positions of Earth’s

landmasses

Different periods in the ESRT

Precambrian Eon 85% of Earth’s history intense volcanic activity; oceans form; meteorite

bombardment atmosphere develops from primitive through out-

gases from volcanoes to one with free oxygen (and ozone layer)

life begins with unicellular organisms (blue-green algae and bacteria) and evolves to multi-cell organisms like worms

few fossils exist because most did not have hard parts

Precambrian Events listed on ESRT

Oldest Events

Mesozoic 245 Ma to 65 Ma

Cenozoic 65 Ma to present

Paleozoic 570 Ma to 245 Ma

Why do we know more about the phanerozoic than the Precambrian, if the Precambrian was a larger span of time?

Paleozoic Era = Ancient Life

Cambrian Period

Mesozoic Era = Middle Life

Cenozoic Period = Recent Life

Age of the Mammals

Time Distribution of Fossils

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