Earth's Landscapes

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What is a fossil?

Back

A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a living organism from a long time ago.

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What is radiocarbon dating?

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Radiocarbon dating is a method used to determine the age of an object containing organic material by measuring the amount of carbon-14 it contains.

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What is a bone bed?

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A bone bed is a rock layer that contains many fossilized bones.

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What can fossils tell us?

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Fossils provide evidence of past life and help scientists understand how living things have changed over time.

Front

What is the youngest rock layer in a sequence?

Back

The youngest rock layer is usually found at the top of a sequence of rock layers.

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What evidence suggests an area was once underwater?

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Finding marine fossils, like shark teeth, or sedimentary rocks can suggest that an area was once underwater.

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What is the significance of a shark tooth fossil?

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A shark tooth fossil indicates that sharks lived in that area when it was underwater.

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What is a sedimentary rock?

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Sedimentary rocks are formed from particles of sand, shells, pebbles, and other fragments of material that accumulate in layers.

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How do scientists study fossils?

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Scientists study fossils by examining their structure, age, and the environment in which they were found.

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What is the difference between a rock and a fossil?

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A rock is a solid mineral material, while a fossil is the preserved remains of a once-living organism.