Fossils

What is a fossil?

• a decomposing plant life

• the preserved remains of an animal, plant, or organism from the past

• a cast of the remains of an animal, plant, or organism for the past

• a footprint in the sand

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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Why do scientist study fossils?

• to study the development of humans

• to research human changes

• to learn about the past, the fossils where, what, when, why, and how they lived

• they find dinosaurs interesting

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

What kind of scientist studies fossils?

• philanthropist

• biologist

• paleontologist

• marine biologist

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

A trace fossil is ...

• the bones of a plant or animal

• the mold of a plant or animal

• the plant or animal itself

• the imprint of a plant or animal

A true fossil is ...

• the bones of a plant or animal

• the mold of a plant or animal

• the plant or animal itself

• the imprint of a plant or animal

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A hollow space was left where a bone belonging to an ancient snail had been buried. Minerals filled in the hollow space. What do we call a fossil that forms this way?

• true fossil

• trace fossil

• mold

• cast

A butterfly is trapped in amber. The entire body of the butterfly is preserved. What type of fossil is this?

• true fossil

• trace fossil

• mold

• cast

Fossil footprints of an extinct kind of bird are preserved in rock. Tracks a lizard made in sand are preserved in another kind of rock. What do we call these kinds of fossils?

• true fossil

• trace fossil

• mold

• cast

A hermit crab shell is buried in sediments. The sediments get pressed and squeezed into stone. Meanwhile, the hermit crab shell gets washed away, leaving a hollow space the shape of the hermit crab shell. What kind of fossil is this?

• true fossil

• trace fossil

• mold

• cast