Fossils

Scientists who study fossils are called ____.

• meteorologists
• fossilologists
• paleontologists
• fossil hunters

Which of the following is NOT an example of a fossil?

• a petrified dinosaur bone

• a footprint captured in mud and buried in sediment

• a seashell found on the beach

• an insect stuck in amber

Which of the following is NOT something you could learn from a fossil?

• The size of the animal
• What the animal ate
• The color of the animal
• Where the animal lived

In which kind of rock do we usually find a fossil?

• sedimentary  rock
• metamorphic rock
• igneous rock
• sand

_____ is any living thing, plant or animal, even you!

• A paleontologist
• An organism
• A fossil
• A rock

Why don't we know what many ancient plants looked like?

• They had too many soft parts and they were destroyed before becoming fossilized.

• They were all eaten by dinosaurs.

• There weren't ancient plants.

• They had too many hard parts.

Scientists study the ____________________ to learn about the history of life on Earth, past environments, and how different groups of organisms have changed over time.

• internet
• fossil record
• maps
• study guide

What happens when a group of animals become extinct?

• All of its members have died out.
• Only a few of its members are still living.
• The animals can no longer lay eggs.
• All of its members move to another place.

A hollow area in sediment in the shape of an organism or part of an organism is

• a cast
• a mold
• a trace fossil
• a petrified fossil

Which of the following substances is NOT able to preserve  entire organisms?

• sticky tar
• amber
• water
• ice