Fossils Vocabulary

Scientists who study fossils

• Organism

• Scientist

• Paleontologist

• Decay

To not exist anymore

• Cast fossil

• Extinct

• Preserve

• Organism

Living things such as plants and animals

• Organisms

• True form fossil

• Decay

• Paleontologist

When an organism dies, rots, and eventually no longer exists

• Mold fossils

• Extinct

• Preserve

• Decay

To keep safe from being destroyed

• Preserve

• Decay

• Trace fossil

• Cast fossil

The preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived in the past

• Organism

• Paleontologist

• Fossil

• Decay

A mark, footprint, trail, burrow, or any other "trace" of a plant or animal

• Trace fossil

• Cast fossil

• Mold fossil

• True form fossil

When an organism dies, is covered by sediment, and creates an impression

• Trace fossil

• Cast fossil

• Mold fossil

• True form fossil

When minerals fill inside a mold fossil and create a 3D model of an organism

• Trace fossil

• Cast fossil

• Mold fossil

• True form fossil

Fossils of the real plant or animal part

• Trace fossil

• Cast fossil

• Mold fossil

• True form fossil