Is an event thought to
have occurred
approximately 4.1 to 3.8
billion years.
Geological Time Scale
Is a system of chronological dating
that relates geological strata to time.
Layers of the Earth
The internal structure of the Earth is layered in
spherical shells: an outer silicate solid crust, a
highly viscous asthenosphere and mantle, a liquid
outer core that is much less viscous than the
mantle, and a solid inner core.
Stratigraphy
the branch of geology concerned
with the order and relative
position of strata and their
relationship to the geological time
scale.
Fossil record
fossil record. A term used by paleontologists
(see paleontology) to refer to the total number
of fossils that have been discovered, as well as
to the information derived from them.
Relative Dating
Relative dating is the science of
determining the relative order of past
events (i.e., the age of an object in
comparison to another), without
necessarily determining their absolute age.
Absolute dating
Absolute dating is the process of determining an age on a specified
chronology in archaeology and geology. Some scientists prefer the terms
chronometric or calendar dating, as use of the word "absolute" implies an
unwarranted certainty of accuracy.