Four million years ago, during the late Miocene epoch, the Earth's geology was characterized by significant tectonic activity, leading to the formation of mountain ranges and changes in sediment deposition. Rocks from this period include sedimentary formations created from ancient river systems and coastal environments, as well as volcanic rocks from eruptive events. The climate was generally warmer than today, influencing erosion processes and the types of minerals present. Fossils found in these rocks often reflect the diverse ecosystems that existed at the time, including early ancestors of modern flora and fauna.
The lack of rocks from the first 800 million years is primarily due to geological processes like erosion, subduction, and intense volcanic activity that have altered or destroyed the original rocks. The Earth's early crust was also likely more unstable and subject to repeated melting and reformation, further contributing to the lack of preserved rocks.
West Virginia 100 million years ago would have been part of a shallow seaway, so you would find marine sedimentary rocks like limestone, sandstone, and shale. Fossils of marine life such as ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, and possibly marine reptiles like mosasaurs might be discovered in these rocks.
Four million thirty looks like this: 4,000,030
You cannot. Carbon dating is not useful for dating things more than about 50,000 years old. You would have to use a different radioisotope to date something 10 million years old. Potassium-Argon dating would work for some rocks.
After a million years, sediments can undergo diagenesis, which includes compaction and cementation. This process transforms loose sediments into solid rocks like sandstone, shale, or limestone. Over time, these rocks may be uplifted and exposed at the Earth's surface by tectonic forces.
The oldest dinosaur fossils date from the Carnian stage of the Triassic period. That was around 220 million years ago. The first dinosaurs were small carnivores, like Eoraptor, and small, long necked herbivores called prosauropods.
Sedimentary rocks can vary in age from recent (formed within the last few years) to billions of years old. The age of sedimentary rocks depends on when the sediments were deposited and how long they have been exposed to processes like compaction and cementation to form rock.
Rocks from the first 800 million years of Earth's history, known as the Hadean and Archean eons, are found due to geological processes such as plate tectonics, erosion, and sedimentation. These ancient rocks often include the oldest known formations, like zircon crystals, which provide valuable insights into early Earth conditions. Despite significant geological activity that has reshaped the planet, certain areas, such as shield regions, preserve these ancient rocks, allowing scientists to study the planet's formative years.
like this ==> 4,300,000
As old as history itself, at least a few million years.
The youngest rocks on Earth are typically found at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed by volcanic activity. The age of these rocks can be as young as a few million years, with some areas of the mid-ocean ridges, like the East Pacific Rise, producing basaltic rock that is around 1-2 million years old. Additionally, volcanic islands and hotspots, such as those in Hawaii, also feature very young rocks, some just a few hundred thousand years old.
From WikipediaThe St. Francois Mountains were formed by volcanic and intrusive activity 1.485 billion (1.485 x 109) years ago.[3]By comparison, the Appalachians started forming about 460 million years ago, and the Rockies a mere 140 million years ago. When the Appalachians started forming, the St. Francois range was already twice as old as the Appalachians are today.There are several mountain ranges often cited as the oldest in North America. The Wichita Mountains in southwestern Oklahoma began forming 550 to 600 million years ago. Similarly, the Unwharrie Mountains in North Carolina began forming approximately 500 million years ago. The Appalachian Mountains began forming 470 million years ago. However, the formation of the Appalachians brought older rocks to the surface. Unlike the older Wichita Mountains, there are rocks over 1 billion years old on the surface with rocks as old as 1.3 billion years old found. Like the Appalachians, the Arbuckle Mountains in south-central Oklahoma were formed shortly after the Appalachians, but have some rocks as old as 1.4 billion years of age. All four of the ranges listed above are thought to once have had peaks reaching near or above 20,000 feet from sea level.