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The Age of the Earth. Section 13-2, pages 272-277. Evidence in Stone. The evidence about the age of the Earth that influences Darwin’s thinking came from two people: James Hutton Charles Lyell. Evidence in Stone. Evidence given by James Hutton :
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The Age of the Earth Section 13-2, pages 272-277
Evidence in Stone • The evidence about the age of the Earth that influences Darwin’s thinking came from two people: • James Hutton • Charles Lyell
Evidence in Stone • Evidence 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 Stone • Evidence 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 Stone • Uniformitarianism: • The belief that the Earth is shaped by slow moving forces over a very long period of time.
Evidence in Stone • Catastrophism: • The belief that Earth was shaped by single world-wide events. • i.e. Noah’s flood or Creation
Evidence in Stone • Other evidence found by geologists… • Fossils! • Fossils are the preserved remains of ancient organisms.
Evidence in Stone • Petrification: • The replacement of dead tissue and organs by minerals that turn into rock. • i.e. petrified wood
Evidence in Stone • Molds: • When an organism dies in soft mud leaving an imprint after it decays. • Casts: • When different types of materials fill a mold.
Evidence in Stone • Preserved Remains: • When an organism doesn’t decay but is perfectly preserved • i.e. amber
The Geologic Time Scale • The 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 Scale • The 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.