Fossils and How
They Form
They Form
Define fossil.
The remains of a living thing from long ago, usually formed in layers of rock.
Define extinct.
To have no surviving members.
Define endangered species.
A species that is at risk of becoming extinct within a few years.
Which parts of the ammonite decay?
__________________ preserves an organism's soft parts as well as hard parts. The soft parts include skin and muscle.
Permafrost
Fill in the blank:
_________________ were reptiles that are now extinct.
Dinosaurs
How did dinosaurs become extinct? Provide the 2 theories scientists have.
1. A large asteroid hit Earth.
2. A large volcano erupted.
Which parts of the fossilization process takes the longest?
The last 3 stages of the process take the longest.
True or False:
Fossils are not evidence of what habitats were there a long time ago.
False, fossils ARE evidence of what habitats were there a long time ago.
True or False:
Some kinds of rocks form layers. The layers at the bottom are usually the youngest. The layers at the top are usually the oldest.
False, the layers at the bottom are usually the oldest and the layers at the top are usually the youngest.
When the dinosaurs got wiped out, so did many other species. This type of event is called a _________ ______________.
mass extinction
Which part of the fossilization process needs to happen very quickly?
What is the name of the material that comes from trees and can preserve organisms?
Amber
True or False:
Fossil coral provides a clue that land may have moved to a colder part of Earth's surface.
True
What do the western black rhino and Stellar's sea cow have in common?
Their habitats were destroyed for building and farming.
No, conditions need to be right for a fossil to form.
Describe how a plant becomes a fossil.
A plant can be buried in mud. More and more layers of mud form over it. The plant parts decompose, but the shape of the plant is left behind. The mud hardens into rock over time and a fossil is formed.
What is the name of the rock that forms from the remains of plants that lived in swamps and bogs?
Coal
What is the name of the group of people who try to help endangered species survive?
Conservationists
What might happen to the ammonite shell if it wasn't buried quickly?
It would be broken down by the water/waves or by other animals.