Fossil Facts
What is a fossil?
Remains or traces of ancient organisms.
Name one Texas fossil.
Ammonite, mammoth teeth, petrified wood, etc.
What is geologic time?
The history of Earth divided into time periods.
What do fossils tell us?
About past environments, animals, and plants.
What does “extinct” mean?
When a species no longer exists.
What are two types of fossils?
Body fossils (bones, shells) and trace fossils (footprints, burrows, imprints).
What fossil tells us Texas was an ocean?
Ammonite or shark teeth.
What causes erosion?
Wind, water, or ice breaking down rocks.
What do mammoth fossils tell us about Texas?
That Texas had grassy plains during the Ice Age.
What are dinosaur tracks?
Fossilized footprints left by dinosaurs.
How do fossils form?
Organisms get buried in sediment, and minerals replace their remains over time.
What fossil tells us Texas had forests?
Petrified wood.
How does climate change affect fossils?
It can cause environments to change, leading to different fossil records.
What do shark teeth fossils tell us?
That Texas was once covered by a warm sea.
Name two ways fossils are exposed.
Erosion and excavation by scientists.
What does petrified wood tell us?
That Texas once had dense forests and swamps.
Where in Texas are ammonite fossils found?
Central and West Texas.
What is sediment and why is it important?
Small rock particles that help preserve fossils by covering them.
How do scientists use fossils to study the past?
They analyze their locations and types to learn about past climates and environments.
What is an ammonite?
A spiral-shaped fossil from an extinct sea creature.
Why are fossils important?
They provide evidence of past life and environments.
Name three Texas fossils.
Ammonite, mammoth teeth, petrified wood, dinosaur tracks, shark teeth, etc.
What is erosion and how does it affect fossils?
It wears away rock and soil, exposing or destroying fossils.
How can a footprint be a fossil?
If it hardens in mud and becomes preserved over time.
Why don’t we find every animal fossilized?
Some decay too quickly, get destroyed, or don’t get buried under the right conditions.