Fossils

Which type of scientist studies life that existed long ago, mostly by studying fossils? 

• Biologist 
• Zoologist
• Botanist
• Paleontologist 

An amber fossil is made when 

• A. an organism gets trapped in the sticky resin on a tree which hardens and is preserved in rock. 
• B. an organism gets caught in the path of lava from a flowing volcano which hardens into rock.
• C. an organism is buried in sediment and the decaying bones are replaced with resin.
• D. an organism is buried in sediment and the pressure and heat turn the organism into amber.

 How did scientists first learn about dinosaurs? 

• A. by studying their fossils 
• B. by reading about them
• C. by watching movies
• D. by looking at pictures

 The box shows a list Alice created to explain the ways an organism can become a fossil
U) It can be frozen in ice. V) It can be a in a very hot environment where there is no water to cause decay. W) It can be left out in the Sun to be decomposed by bacteria and scavengers. X) It can be trapped in the resin of a tree. 

• Point U
• Point W
• Point V

Scientists discovered the fossilized remains of an unidentified animal. They can tell from its remains that it had gills and fins, but no legs. What conclusion about the animal can they draw from the evidence? 

• A. It was a land mammal. 
• B. It lived in the water all the time. 
• C. It had legs that did not fossilize
• D. It lived in the water and on land.

What are the hardened remains of living things that died long ago?

• Extinct

• Fossils
• Metamorphic rock
• Minerals

In which type of rock are most fossils found?

• Metamorphic
• Igneous
• Sedimentary
• Volcanic

A fossil animal has a mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth. What can you infer about the animal?

• The animal only ate fruits and vegetables.
• The animal lived in the ocean.
• The animal is related to sharks.
• The animal ate meat.

I found a fossil of a fish in what is now a cow pasture. How is that possible?

• Somebody put the fossil there.
• The wind moved the fossil there over time.
• The cow pasture used to be underwater.
• It would not be possible to find a fossil of a fish in a cow pasture.

What part of an animal will most likely become a fossil?

• Muscle
• Eyelash
• Bone
• Ear