"It is used primarily by Earth scientists (including geologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, geochemists, and paleoclimatologists) to describe the timing and relationships of events in geologic history."
Divisions of time based on geological changes, such as the Cretaceous period or the Paleozoic era.
Stratigraphy: The study of rock layers and their relative ages.
Fossils: The remains or traces of organisms from the past, which help determine the age of rocks and the evolution of life.
Radiometric dating: The use of radioactive isotopes to determine the age of rocks and minerals.
Geological Events: Notable geological events throughout history, including the formation of the Earth, the evolution of the atmosphere and oceans, and the creation of mountains and continents.
Geological Time Scale: The system used to organize and classify the Earth's history into different time periods.
Plate tectonics: The theory that the Earth's outer shell is broken into plates that move and interact, leading to the formation of mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
Paleontology: The study of extinct organisms and their relationships to living organisms.
Continental drift: The theory that the continents were once joined together into a single landmass and have since drifted apart.
Evolutionary history: The study of the evolution of life on Earth, including the origin of species and the diversification of life over time.
Mass extinction events: Periods in Earth's history where a significant proportion of species became extinct.
Climate change: The study of changes in the Earth's climate over time, including past ice ages and warming periods.
Geological resources: The study of geological materials and their uses, including minerals, fuels, and water.
Eon: The largest unit of geologic time that spans billions of years.
Era: A division of eons that is characterized by major changes in the Earth's climate, geology, and life forms.
Period: A division of eras that is based on the type of rock formation and the fossils found within them.
Epoch: The smallest division of geologic time that is based on changes in the Earth's climate, geography, and life forms.
Age: An even smaller division of geologic time that is based on the dates of specific rock formations and their associated fossils.
Chronozone: A unit of time that is based on specific events in the Earth's history, such as mass extinctions or major geological changes.
Zone: A division of time that is based on the presence or absence of specific fossils in rock formations.
Stage: A division of time that is based on the rock formations and their associated fossils in a particular region.
Biozone: A division of time that is based on the presence or absence of specific groups of organisms, rather than individual fossils.
Event: A division of time that is based on specific geological or biological events, such as volcanic eruptions or the emergence of new species.
"...uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relating strata to time) and geochronology (a scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks)."
"The time scale has been developed through the study of rock layers and the observation of their relationships and identifying features such as lithologies, paleomagnetic properties, and fossils."
"The definition of standardized international units of geologic time is the responsibility of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), a constituent body of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)."
"Their primary objective is to precisely define global chronostratigraphic units of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (ICC) that are used to define divisions of geologic time."
"While some regional terms are still in use, the table of geologic time presented in this article conforms to the nomenclature, ages, and color codes set forth by the ICS."
"The chronostratigraphic divisions are in turn used to define geochronologic units."
"It is a system of chronological dating that uses the rock record of Earth."
"Earth scientists, including geologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, geochemists, and paleoclimatologists."
"Identifying features such as lithologies, paleomagnetic properties, and fossils."
"The International Commission on Stratigraphy is a constituent body of the International Union of Geological Sciences."
"To determine the age of rocks."
"It is used to define divisions of geologic time."
"Geology, paleontology, geophysics, geochemistry, and paleoclimatology."
"The timing and relationships of events in geologic history."
"The process of relating strata to time."
"The International Commission on Stratigraphy."
"Using the International Chronostratigraphic Chart."
"Through the scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks."
"The rock record of Earth is the basis for the geologic time scale."