Scientists devised the geologic time scale after noticing differences in fossils as they progressed from oldest to youngest sedimentary strata. They divided Earth's past into many pieces of time when similar creatures were on the planet using relative dating.
Geological time units are based on visible, sequential changes in Earth's rock layers. In geology, the Law of Superposition asserts that sediment and rock strata are deposited in chronological order, with the oldest layers on the bottom and the youngest ones on top.