1 Simple molecules [molecule: A molecule is a collection of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds. 2  It is the smallest part of a substance that displays the properties of the substance.
Eon has a number of meanings. In Astronomy, an eon refers to 1 billion (109) years. But it also refers to a very long, unspecified period of time, or specific geologic stages of the Earth.
The Archean Eon and the Hadean The Archean eon, which preceded the Proterozoic eon, spanned about 1.5 billion years and is subdivided into four eras: the Neoarchean (2.8 to 2.5 billion years ago), Mesoarchean (3.2 to 2.8 billion years ago), Paleoarchean (3.6 to 3.2 billion years ago), and Eoarchean (4 to 3.6 billion years ago).*