What is an epoch???????

Question

For a project i have to list the era and epoch of the devonian period and i have no clue what an epoch is

Answer 1

An epoch is a division of time and you'll find it if you look at a geological time scale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_Ti...

Anyways, what an epoch is, is it could be the beginning of a historical period or era. It is also a time division.  Like if you look at the geological time scale it shows the time divided within the geological time period when it shows early, middle or later.

I hope this helped.

Answer 2

In periodization the term Epoch most often means "a beginning", and epochs thus define a point or moment when what comes after has begun, though some disciplines (geology) use the term as a time division like age, period, or era, meaning a defined span of time. Depending on context, epoch can refer to:

a defining moment in the beginning of, or characteristic of, a distinctive historical period or era.

a criteria, a type of time division of the geologic time scale based on rock layering which is less than a era (geology), age (geology), and period (geology) while being greater than a stage. (Geology also uses other spans not found in similar language contexts)

a phase in the development of the universe with distinctive properties during the the Big Bang.

epoch (astronomy) - a precise moment in time for which celestial coordinates or orbital elements are specified by international agreement, usually periodically reset to centennial and half-century dates. All other orbits calculations near or after the astronomical epoch are based on the epoch date.

Many computer operating systems maintain system time based on some starting time called the epoch. For example, Unix and POSIX systems count time as seconds since January 1, 1970.

Answer 3

An epoch is a division of a period.

The era of the Devonian is Paleozoic and the epochs are late, middle, and early.

These epochs may have more specific names. I am just using my USGS geologic time scale.