Does the Geologic column exist?

Question

If it does exist, where does it exist?

Answer 1

Gee, why do I have a feeling this is a question having to do with evolution versus creationism? And your point is going to eventually be that "the Geologic column" doesn't exist in it's "entirety" anywhere in the world. Therefore evolution is crap.

Am I right?

Here's a simplified explanation. Simplified doesn't always mean 100% correct or accurate. It means that because most non-geologists don't have the background knowledge, here's an easier to understand, non-detail oriented, explanation. It may not seem simplified but I tried to do the best job I could.

What you may be referring to as "THE Geologic column" is what geologists usually refer to as the geologic time scale.

Usually a geologist refers to "A geologic column" and not "THE geologic column". That's because to a geologist, a geologic column or stratigraphic column (another word for essentially the same thing) depends on the location. A geologic column depicting the various layers of sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic rocks in Red Rocks, Colorado will be different to a geologic or stratigraphic column of the rock layers in Teapot Dome, Wyoming or Ely, Minnesota or Swindon England.

Due to various types of erosion (wind or water, etc.) and deformation (faults, folds, etc.) not all geologic time periods will be represented in every location. In some cases, there may have been no deposition going on at a specific location. Take Red Rocks, Colorado for example. Pre-Cambrian rocks lie next to pennsylvanian rocks. The suite of rocks representing cambrian, ordovician, silurian, devonian and mississippian have been faulted out. So a geologic column or "strat" column for Red Rocks would start with pre-cambrian rocks, then have a line designating a thrust fault and then show the pennsylvanian deposit referred to as Red Rocks.

Even for the same time period, the types of ongoing deposition (if any) may vary. In one location you may have the deposition of what will become sandstone and siltstone in a river mouth or delta type of deposition while 500 miles away, at the same time you will have an off shore (sea) type of deposition going on. Sometimes you only have a slight variation in deposition over a large area. There was "red rock" type of deposition all along the Rockies during the pennsylvanian. There were just enough difference in the deposition due to various factors that each locale will have different names for the formation: Red Rocks in parts of Colorado, Tensleep formation in parts of Wyoming, Minnelusa and Minnekata formations in other parts of Wyoming and North and South Dakota.

Often each major geologic region or in the USA, each state may have complied the major or most widespread geologic formations deposited throughout geologic time in the area and make a hypothetical geologic column. It would not represent an actual location where all these formations were deposited and were not eroded away. This geologic column would be a reference tool for geologists. For example, you would give it to students taking geology classes and tell them "here are the possibilities". But when it comes to a specific location, only detailed geologic mapping can gather the data needed to draw a geologic or stratigraphic column for that area.

While I have a degree in Geologic Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, I also believe in God. In my mind there is no conflict between my education and my sptirituality.

By the way, if the tone of my answer started out sounding harsh, I apologize. I'm a little frustrated by some of the leading questions and mis-information I have found here on Yahoo Answers. It is my hope that you were asking a legitimate question. However, as you can probably tell, I've been burned by people getting into the Science category, asking a question and then going with the "religious" answer.

Answer 2

The idea of the geologic column exists as a timescale of the earth, including rocks and the fossils and other materials that may be found within said rocks. It was constructed by scientists to represent geologic eras and help to date strata.

In that sense, yes, it does exist. If I did not answer your question fully, perhaps someone else would like to take a shot at it.

The geologic column is also a major point of contention for Young Earth Creationists, but I'd prefer not to get into that unless you are specifically requesting that angle.

Some sites that may help:
http://ebeltz.net/firstfam/geocolum.html
http://www.cnt.ru/users/chas/imp-137.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_timescale
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/geocolumn/
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/paleonet/Column/GeoCol.Html

Answer 3

you may desire to study greater. Sedgwick believed interior the Divine creation of life over long classes of time, by "a ability i will't imitate or understand -- yet wherein i think, by a valid end of sound reason drawn from the regulations of harmonies of nature." What Sedgwick objected to became the plain amoral and materialist nature of Darwin's proposed mechanism, organic decision, which he concept degrading to humanity's religious aspirations. His very own writings. How plenty greater do you no longer comprehend? Get A Grip

Answer 4

In it's entirety, no. It's like a puzzle different pieces containing series of layers from different time spans, by assembling the disparate parts a virtual column can be demonstrated.

It works like this in principal

abcd
--cdefgh
--------hij
---------ijklm
-----------klmno
---------------nop
----------------opqrs
-------------------qrstu
----------------------tuvw
------------------------uvwxy
----------------------------wxyz

Although I'd observe that geological deposition only occurs in certain areas river deltas, lake beds, the seafloor, volcanic areas and so forth. You'd have to date the materials and I'm sure the creationists couldn't have any of that since radioisotopes ain't biblical.

Woot another victory for creationism, someone who desperately wants to believe in young earth creationism is saved from the clutches of doubt by creation science. YAWN, these things (creation science) are cooked up to keep the witless faithful from wandering from the fold, no one who has any understanding of geology and biology is fooled or impressed by them. You're only embarrasing sane christians by crapping this stuff into cyberspace.

Answer 5

You might be refering to a type of volcanic column that is formed from cooling lava.
There are various examples such as
The Giant's Causeway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant's_Causeway
Another example is the organ pipes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_Pipes_National_Park

It may also be refered to as Columnar jointing
http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/vw_hyperexchange/col_joint.html