Time and Cycle Assessment: Geologic Time Scale and Rock Dating Essay

Pioneers of Geology: Foundations of the Geologic Time Scale

The infographic given above represents four pioneers; James Hutton, Charles Lyell, Nicholas Steno, and Georgius Agricola, whose past works contributed to modern understanding of geology. The infographic below represents the complete four geologists.

Divisions and Structure of the Geologic Time Scale

         Divisions of the geologic time scale are organized in a systematic way. It is organized such that it is interpreted in a specific time scale from the longest to the shortest. These are the eons followed by eras and periods, and so on. The fossil forms that occurred in the rocks gave way to the major means of creating the geologic time scale. It follows that the timing of the appearance and disappearance of different species from the fossil records provided the basis for delineating beginning and ending of time intervals; hence the currently used geologic time scale. The time scale exists as it does today because scientists were able to place events in their order of occurrence (Libretexts, n.p). It illustrates the order in which the events of the earth took place.

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Absolute Dating Methods for Volcanic Rocks

         A volcanic rock from any ear including the paleozoic is deemed to have occurred from the eruption of a volcano, and consequently spread. To determine the age of a baseball-sized specimen of a volcanic rock, absolute dating would be used. This works by determining the radioactive decay of isotopes and the cumulative effects of radiation on the rock’s structure, after which the absolute age of the rock can be determined (Sanjurjo, 5).

Works Cited

Libretexts. “11.6: Geologic Time Scale.” Geosciences LibreTexts, 2022, geo.libretexts.org/Courses/Lumen_Learning/Book%3A_Earth_Science_(Lumen)/11%3A_Geologic_History/11.06%3A_Geologic_Time_Scale. Accessed 31 Jan. 2023.

Sanjurjo, Jorge. “An Overview of the Use of Absolute Dating Techniques in Ancient Construction Materials.” Geosciences, vol. 6, no. 2, 2016, p. 22, https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences6020022.