Bell ringer 3/12: Fossil Record Review

A team of archaeologists excavating a sedimentary rock layer come across some primitive hunting tools used by early humans. As the dig progresses, they unearth the fossilized remains of a dinosaur from another layer of the sedimentary rock. Why do these discoveries indicate that the rocks were formed over millions of years?

• Early humans appeared on Earth about a million years ago

• Humans and dinosaurs coexisted about a million years ago.

• Dinosaurs became extinct millions of years before humans appeared.

• Humans hunted dinosaurs and were responsible for their extinction.

A fish fossil is found in a rock. A foot bone and tooth are found in an older layer of the same rock. What can scientists learn from the rock?

• The area changed from land to water.

• The area changed from water to land.

• The area has always been land.

• The area was once an ocean.

Scientists discovered fossils in several layers of the Earth you see here. They found fossils of algae, snails, and clams in layer D. Given that information, where do you think they found fossil evidence of simple land plants and amphibians?

• A

• E

• F

• G

Several teeth were found in an area of flat land covered with trees and plants. The teeth were examined by a paleontologist, and it was determined that the teeth came from a shark. They found many other shark teeth in this area. However, the people who discovered the teeth were puzzled, because there was no source of water near where the fossils were found. What is the paleontologist's BEST explanation for why the teeth were found in this area?

• Sharks used to live on flat land.

• This area was once covered with salt water.

• This area was once covered with freshwater.

• Someone buried the shark teeth deep in the ground.

The cladogram of the kingdom Animalia shows the relationship of selected animals based on their shared anatomical features. The black numbered squares represent features that are critical for forming each branch in the animal kingdom. Square one represents a dorsal nerve cord, which means the animals in all the branches have a dorsal nerve cord.By comparing the characteristics of each animal branch, we can hypothesize that which numbered square would represent the trait "mammary glands?"

• 3

• 4

• 5

• 6

The illustration above shows the fossils of the front foot bones and teeth of four different species of horse. The present day horse, Equus is seen on the right. It has much larger teeth adapted for grazing on tough leaves and grasses. Some of the changes in horses over the last 55 million years are shown in these fossils as well. Early horses were adapted to living in wooded swampy areas where more toes were an advantage. Also, the early horse was small and had teeth that were adapted to browsing on young shoots of trees and shrubs. The single hoofed toe of the present day horse allows it to travel fast on the plains.The foot bones at the upper right of each diagram (black) indicate the relative bone sizes of each kind of horse. x=toe bones, y= foot bones, w= ankle bone, z= heel bone. Draw a conclusion as to why the modern horse has a longer foot than its ancestors.

• allowed it to swim faster

• allowed it to reach higher trees

• allowed for greater chance of mating

• allowed greater speed to outrun predators

During Devonian time life transitioned to land. Two major divisions of animals moved ashore, first the arthropods and then the tetrapod vertebrates.

What fossil evidence BEST supports the classification of animals into these two basic branches, still recognized today?

• fossilized amniotic eggs

• impressions of scales versus fur

• evidence of exoskeletons and endoskeletons

• fossilized bones with and without air cavities

This dinosaur lived long ago on Earth in a tropical climate. The dinosaurs were killed and became extinct because of a change in climate. That new climate was called an ice age. What type of fossil would we find that would support the theory that Earth experienced an ice age?

• 
• 
• 
• 

According to the fossil record above, during which era did mammals first appear?

• Cenozoic

• Mesozoic

• Paleozoic

• Modern Day

WHO'S READY TO KICK SOME CFA BUTT?

• Me Mrs. Rivers!!

• All I've been paying attention to is TikTok Mrs. Rivers :(

• I am as ready as I'm gonna be *shrugs*

• This is a SOS !!!