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Glossary

Welcome to the glossary at GeologyRocks. We've put together some of the common terms used in the Earth Sciences to help you if you come across a term you've never seen before. To navigate, click a letter or a category from the list on the left to see all the words starting with that letter or in that category. Alternatively, you can search for a word using the search box to the left. If you search for a word that isn't in our database, we will try and put in a definition as soon as we can.

If you come across a word we don't have in our glossary, please add it and gain yourself some points!

Here is an example word:

Cambrian

The earliest defined geological period spanning 542-483Ma. Time before the Cambrian is referred to as the Pre-Cambrian, making the Cambrian the first period of the Palaeozoic Era. All fossils from this period are marine and the beginning of this period saw the Cambrian Explosion; an apparent burst of evolution.

The Cambrian is split into four Epochs, Lower Series, Series 2, Series 3 and Furongian.