Fossils, Rocks, and Weathering

What is a fossil?

• an unusual type of rock

• the preserved remains or traces of an organism

• a perfect copy of a rock

• any dead organism

How do fossils form?

• The hard parts of an organism dry out in the air.
• Living things die and their remains are buried quickly by sediments.
• Freezing preserves the remains of an organism.
• The soft parts of an organism change to stone.

The fossil records shows that life on Earth has changed over time.  For example, paleontologists have found that older rocks contain fossils of 

• only organisms that are alive today.
• both simple and complex organisms.
• organisms that are simpler than those alive today.
• organisms that are more complex than those alive today.

Which type of fossil can provide clues about the activities of ancient organisms?

• carbon films
• remains preserved in amber
• molds and casts
• trace fossils

A type of organism that no longer exists on Earth is said to be 

• fossilized
• sedimentary
• extinct
• petrified

Which would most likely be preserved as a fossil?

• bones
• skin
• blood
• eyes

What are the 3 types of rock?

• sedimentary, conglomerate, schist
• igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
• metamorphic, schist, igneous
• granite, igneous, metamorphic

The process by which natural forces move weathered rock and soil from one place to another is called

• soil conservation
• deposition
• abrasion
• erosion

Life began as _______ organisms and evolved into ______ organisms.

• complex, simple
• simple, complex
• multicellular, unicellular

The process by which rock is broken down into pieces of sediment is called

• deposition
• weathering
• erosion
• ice