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CHAPTER 14HISTORY OF THE

EARTH

14.1 The record of life

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14.1 The Record of Life… VOCABULARY

Isotope = atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.

Fossil = evidence of an organism that lived long ago.

Plate tectonics = the theory that explains how the continents move.

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14.1 The Record of Life Paleontologist

Scientists who study ancient life. Early Earth: Very hot

Caused by the energy created by the colliding meteorites.

This heated the Earth’s surface.The compression of minerals and decay of radioactive

materials heated its interior. Volcanoes

Spewed lava and gas – releasing pressure from the Earth’s interior.

The gases helped to form the Earth’s early atmosphere.

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14.1 The Record of Life

Earth’s Early Atmosphere…Probably did not contain free oxygen, O2.

Water vapor, carbon dioxide and nitrogen were probably present.

We would not have been able to survive in early Earth’s atmosphere.

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14.1 The Record of Life Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago. Theory states that the Earth cooled enough for

water vapor to condense. This may have led to millions of years of

rainstorms with lightning.Depressions filled – oceans formed

First life on Earth about 3.5 billion years ago.

Scientists are not certain that Earth formed in this way.

It is one theory – no direct evidence of the earliest years of Earth’s history.

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Fossils… Clues to the Past A fossil is evidence of an organism that lived long

ago. Scientists study fossils to learn about ancient

species.About 95% of the species that have existed are extinct –

they no longer live on Earth. Paleontologist = scientists who study ancient life.

Act like detectives…They use fossils to understand events that happened long

ago.They use fossils to determine the kinds of organisms that

lived during the past.They also use fossils to try to learn about the organisms’

behaviors.

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Paleontologists… Detectives to the Past

Examples of fossil evidence: Fossil bones and teeth

Indicate the size of animalsHow they movedWhat they ate

Ancient climate and geographyStudying fossils helps scientists to learn about past

climates and geography.○ Finding a fossilized plant suggests that the past

climate was mild.The condition, position, & location of rocks and

fossils, scientists can make deductions about the geography of past environments.

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Fossil Formation…

Fossils formWhen organisms are buried in mud, sand or clay

soon after they die.Particles are compressed over a long period

of time and harden into a type of rock.○ This rock is called sedimentary rock.

Fossils still form today at the bottom of lakes, streams, oceans.

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Fossil Formation…

Most fossils are found in sedimentary rocks.Sedimentary rocks form at somewhat

low temperatures and pressures. ○This may prevent damage to the

organism.Sedimentary rocks form in horizontal

layers, with younger layers closer to the surface.

Older fossils and rocks will be found in the deeper layers.

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Fossil Formation…

Fossils are not usually found in other types of rock for a number of reasons.Metamorphic rocks form when heat,

pressure, and chemical reactions change other rocks.○ i.e., Marble / limestone; slate / shale…

These conditions often destroy any fossils that were present in the original sedimentary rock.

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Relative Dating…

Scientists use different methods to determine the age of fossils.

Figure 14.2 If rock layers have not been disturbed, the

older layers will be below the younger layers…. Younger layers will be on top of older layers.

This also means that the fossils found in the lower layers are older than the fossils found in the layers closer to the surface.

Determines relative age (older than, younger than) and order of appearance of the species preserved as fossils in the layers.

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Radiometric Dating… Relative dating does not determine the

actual age in years of a fossil or rock. Radiometric dating provides the specific

age of rocks and fossils. Scientists use radioactive isotopes in rocks

to find the exact age in years. Radioactive isotopes are atoms with

unstable nuclei.They break down over time.They give off radiation.A radioactive isotope forms a new isotope after it

decays.

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Radiometric Dating…

The half-life is the length of time needed for half of the atoms of the isotope to decay.

The ratio of radioactive isotope to the new isotope formed as it decays…helps scientists to determine the approximate age

of rocks. Example of isotopes used in radiometric

dating…Potassium-40 decays to argon-40

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Radiometric Dating…

For accurate, consistent values – Many rock samples are used with a variety

of testing methods. Errors can happen if

the rock has been heated.This will cause some of the radioactive isotopes

to be lost or gained.The age will be inaccurate in this case.

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Geologic Time Scale… Calendar of Earth’s history. Based on evidence from Earth’s rocks and

fossils. Figure 14.4 Divided into 4 large sections.

PrecambrianPaleozoic EraMesozoic EraCenozoic Era P P Me C

Era is a large division in the scale and equals a very long period of time.Each era is subdivided into periods.

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Geologic Time Scale, cont’d…

Divisions are distinguished by the organisms that lived during that time period.

Fossil record indicates that there were several mass extinctions that fall between time divisions.Mass extinction = event that occurs when

many organisms disappear from the fossil record nearly all at once.

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Precambrian Accounts for about 87% of Earth’s history. At the beginning of the Precambrian, about

3.4 billion years ago…Unicellular organisms, bacteria, were the only life

form.About 2.1 billion years ago, eukaryotic organisms

appeared.At the end of the Precambrian, about 543 million

years ago, multicellular eukaryotes, i.e., sponges and jellyfishes, diversified and filled the oceans.

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Paleozoic Era

Many more types of animals and plants present during this time.

Some were preserved in the fossil record. The earliest part of the Paleozoic Era is the

Cambrian Period.Referred to as the “Cambrian explosion” of life.Fossil record shows an enormous increase in the

diversity of life forms during this time.Oceans teemed with many types of animals.

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Paleozoic Era… Early Paleozoic Era

Vertebrates appeared.Ferns and early seed plants appeared.

Middle Paleozoic Era4-legged animals appeared, i.e., amphibians.

Late Paleozoic EraReptiles appeared on land and flourished.

Largest mass extinction recorded marked the end of the Paleozoic Era.

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Paleozoic EraEnd of the Paleozoic Era: Largest mass extinction recorded in

the fossil record marked the end of the Paleozoic.

90% of Earth’s marine species and 70% of the land species disappeared at this time.

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Mesozoic Era Divided into three periods. Triassic Period

Oldest periodMammals appearedEarly mammals were small, mouselikeDinosaurs and reptiles appearedFerns – huge fern forests

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Mesozoic Era, cont’d…

Jurassic Period – middle of the Mesozoic Era Modern birds evolved from one of the groups

of dinosaurs.This happened toward the end of this period.Archaeopteryx

○ Small bird discovered in Germany○ Had feathers, which is a birdlike feature

Present day bird – hoatzin, figure 14.8B, pg. 378○ Reptilian features – claws on its wings – during its

first few weeks of life

This evidence suggests that birds evolved from dinosaurs.

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A Mass Extinction! Cretaceous

Last period of the Mesozoic EraMany new types of mammals appearedFlowering plants flourishedMass extinction of dinosaurs marked the end of the

Cretaceous Period Scientists estimate that more than 2/3 of all

living species during this time became extinct. Cause of the Extinction?

One idea is that a large meteorite collision caused the mass extinction.

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Mass Extinction, cont’d… A huge collision could have filled the

atmosphere with thick, possibly toxic dust. This would have changed the climate. Many species would not have been able to

survive the changed climate. Large crater found in the waters off eastern

Mexico Crater was dated back to the Cretaceous

Period. Scientists believe this was the impact site.

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Changes During the Mesozoic Era

Geological events during this era changed the places where species lived.

These events affected the distribution of the species on Earth.

Theory of Continental Drift Earth’s continents have moved during

Earth’s history and are still moving today. 6 cm per year Same rate as the growth of hair

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Changes During the Mesozoic Era

Early in the MesozoicThe continents were merged into

one large landmass.The supercontinent broke up.Pieces drifted apart.

Plate Tectonics – Theory that explains how the continents move.

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Plate Tectonics, cont’d… Earth’s surface is made of several rigid

plates. These plates drift on top of a fluid, partially

molten layer of rock. Plates are constantly moving.

Spreading apartSliding byOr pushing against each other.

The movements affect organisms.i.e., Descendants living on plates that are

moving apart may be living in areas with very different climates.

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Cenozoic Era Began about 65 million years ago. Era in which we now live. Mammals flourish in the early part of this

era. Primates appear – group of animals which

humans belong to. Primates have diversified greatly over the

past 65 million years. Modern man appeared approximately

200,000 years ago.