Fossil Formation
True or False
An organism needs to be alive so it can be a fossil.
False
How much carbon does a living organism have when it dies? (Percentage)
100%
We can estimate the age of a fossil using____ ______.
Radioactive dating
Which way can we tell if a fossil was a carnivore/herbivore? (Its diet)
The shape of the teeth
Which province was the Burgess Shale found in?
British Columbia
What is the 3rd step for fossil formation?
Decay
How many years does it take for Carbon-14 to decay to half its original amount?
5,700 years
What do scientists measure in old bones or plants to figure out how long ago they died?
Carbon-14
Do all organisms get turned into fossils?
No
When was the Burgess Shale discovered?
1900s
What are Fossils made of?
A)Rock
B)Crystals
C)Bones
B)Crystals
What does Carbon-14 decay into?
Nitrogen-14
Which of these chemicals has a longer life span?
A)Uranium
B)Thorium
C)Plutonium
B)Thorium
What was the earliest known bird?
The Archeopteryx
Why is the Burgess Shale so special?
Because it had soft parts (like eyes) still noticeable with detail
How is Amber made, and what organisms does it preserve?
Made from trees. Traps insects/plants.
Is it possible for a fossil to be found without Carbon-14?
No
Rocks contain _______ chemicals that break down.
Radioactive
How can you know if an animal was aquatic or terrestrial?
The place it was found
How old were the Burgess Shale fossils?
508 million years old
Can fossils be interrupted while they fossilize? (Stop fossilizing)
Yes
How many years would it approximately take for Carbon-14 to be useless if the organism started at 100%?
A)48,500 years
B)38,500 years
C)28,500 years
D)18,500 years
C) 28,500 years
Why does Carbon-14 have 14 after it?
Because of the protons and neutrons
Why are we not sure if a fossil had feathers?
Because the proteins in the feathers break down, causing the feathers to vanish
What were the Burgess Shale fossils' names? (3 fossils)
Anomalocaris-Winaxia-Opabinia