The Age of the Earth
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Transcript of The Age of the Earth
The Age of the EarthSection 13-2, pages 272-277
Evidence in StoneThe evidence about the age of
the Earth that influences Darwin’s thinking came from two people:◦James Hutton◦Charles Lyell
Evidence in StoneEvidence given by James Hutton:
◦Earth has been gradually changed by forces of weather (rain, wind, heat, cold), and by volcanoes and earthquakes.
◦Because all of these things take time, the Earth has to be very old – much older than thousands of years.
Evidence in StoneEvidence given by Charles Lyell:
◦He agreed that the Earth changed over time.
◦Lyell argued that past events must always be explained by events that can be observed (the scientific method).
◦The Earth is moving and shifting due to changes in the Earth. An earthquake was actively observed off
the coast of South America during the Galapagos voyage.
Evidence in StoneUniformitarianism:
◦The belief that the Earth is shaped by slow moving forces over a very long period of time.
Evidence in StoneCatastrophism:
◦The belief that Earth was shaped by single world-wide events. i.e. Noah’s flood or Creation
Evidence in StoneOther evidence found by
geologists…◦Fossils!◦Fossils are the preserved remains of
ancient organisms.
Evidence in StonePetrification:
◦The replacement of dead tissue and organs by minerals that turn into rock. i.e. petrified wood
Evidence in StoneMolds:
◦When an organism dies in soft mud leaving an imprint after it decays.
Casts:◦When different types of materials fill a mold.
Evidence in StonePreserved Remains:
◦When an organism doesn’t decay but is perfectly preserved i.e. amber
The Geologic Time ScaleThe geologic time scale uses the
position of rock layers relative to each other.◦The lowest layers of rock are the
oldest and younger layers are farther up
◦The law of superposition
The Geologic Time ScaleThe geologic time scale is a form
of relative dating only, geologists don’t know how long exactly it took each layer to form, so they can’t exactly date the fossils found in them.