Types of Fossils

This type of fossil forms when sediments bury an organism and then sediments change into rock; the organism decays leaving a cavity in the shape of the organism.

• mold
• cast
• petrified
• trace

This type of fossil forms when a mold is filled with sand or mud that hardens into the shape of the organism.

• mold
• cast
• trace
• preserved

This type of fossil forms when minerals soak into the buried remains, replacing the remains, and changing them into rock.

• mold
• cast
• petrified
• preserved

This type of fossil forms when organisms or parts, like leaves, stems, flowers, fish, are pressed between layers of soft mud or clay that hardens squeezing almost all the decaying organism away leaving the carbon imprint in the rock.

• trace
• preserved or original remains
• carbonized or carbon film
• permineralized or petrified

This type of fossil forms when entire organisms or parts of organisms are prevented from decaying by being trapped in rock, ice, tar, or amber.

• trace
• preserved or original remains
• carbonized or carbon film
• index

This type of fossil forms when the mud or sand hardens to stone where a footprint, trail, or burrow of an organism was left behind. 

• carbonized or carbon film
• trace
• permineralized or petrified
• mold

Shells and skeletons are typically fossilized in this fashion.

• mold and cast
• trace
• carbonized or carbon film
• permineralized or petrified

A woolly mammoth or ancient hominid might be found in frozen tundra such as the arctic circle. This type of fossil would be

• preserved or original remains
• permineralized or petrified
• carbonized or carbon film
• trace

Remains of animals can be preserved by preventing them from decaying. What substances might help preserve parts or a whole animal

• tar, amber, ice
• ice, carbonization, trace
• rock, amber, ice
• tar, carbonization, rock

This type of scientist finds, preserves, and interprets fossils remains.

• archeologist
• paleontologist
• geologist
• anthropologist