The phrase “epoch” is pronounced with a tough “c” sound, as within the phrase “cat.” The “e” within the first syllable is pronounced just like the “a” in “apple,” and the “o” within the second syllable is pronounced just like the “o” in “go.” Subsequently, the phrase “epoch” is pronounced as “EP-uh-k.”
Epochs are necessary models of geologic time. They’re used to divide the Earth’s historical past into distinct durations, every of which is characterised by a singular set of geologic occasions. Epochs are sometimes thousands and thousands of years lengthy, and they’re typically used to trace the evolution of life on Earth.