Lesson 3b: Absolute Time

Question 1

What was Archbishop James Ussher’s contribution to absolute time?

Answer 1

Volume 4: Annals of the World; Earth was created in 4004 B.C.E

Question 2

What were James Hutton’s contributions to absolute time? 3

Answer 2

1. Introduced the idea of Geological (Deep Time); Earth is millions of years old, not thousands
2. Repeated cycles of uplift and erosion were found in the land’s geology.
3. Wrote the Theory of Earth; the foundation of modern geology

Question 3

What was Henri Becqurele’s contribution to absolute time?

Answer 3

Discovered radioactivity in uranium in 1896

Question 4

What was Ernst Rutherford’s contribution to absolute time?

Answer 4

Discovered the cause of radiation (radioactive decay); Earth 700 Ma old

Question 5

What was Cameron Patterson’s contribution to absolute time?

Answer 5

Used uranium-lead isotope on several meteorites; Earth is 4.55+/- 0.07 billion years old

Question 6

What is radiometric dating?

Answer 6

A way of directly dating rocks that contain a radioactive isotope

Question 7

What is radiocarbon dating?

Answer 7

A way of dating organic matter using a radioactive isotope Carbon-14

Question 8

What is a half-life?

Answer 8

The amount of time required for half of the radioactive isotope to decay.

Question 9

What is the Geologic Time Scale

Answer 9

1. Eons - geological time
2. Eras - what eons are divided into
3. Periods - what eras are divided into
4. Epoch - what periods are divided into

Question 10

What is radioactivity?

Answer 10

The spontaneous decay in the structure of an atom’s nucleus

Question 11

What are the 4 categories of eons? (Oldest to youngest)

Answer 11

1. Hadean - oldest
2. Archean - ancient
3. Proterozoic - before life
4. Phanerozoic - visible life

Question 12

What eon do we currently live in?

Answer 12

Phanerozoic

Question 13

What are the 3 categories of eras? (Oldest to youngest)

Answer 13

1. Paleozoic era - oldest
2. Mesozoic era - middle life
3. Cenozoic era - new or recent life

Question 14

What era are we currently in?

Answer 14

Cenozoic era

Question 15

What are the 3 categories of periods? (Oldest to youngest)

Answer 15

1. Paleogene - oldest
2. Neogene
3. Quaternary (Present)

Question 16

What period are we currently in?

Answer 16

Quaternary

Question 17

List the eons from longest to shortest

Answer 17

1. Proterozoic
2. Archean
3. Phanerozoic
4. Hadean