What is a fossil?

• A type of sedimentary rock

• A preserved remain or trace of a plant or animal from the past

• A scientific tool used by geologists

• A mineral found within rocks

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Where are fossils typically found?

• In metamorphic rocks

• In volcanic ash

• In sedimentary rocks

• On the surface of the Earth

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Who are paleontologists?

• Scientists who study ancient human cultures

• Scientists who study minerals and rocks

• Scientists who study weather patterns

• Scientists who study fossils to learn about forms of life that existed in former geologic periods

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What can cause fossils to be exposed to paleontologists?

• Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

• Wind, water, and erosion

• Urban construction and mining

• Asteroid impacts

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What happens to the remains of organisms over millions of years to become fossilized?

• They are preserved in volcanic lava

• They are crystallized by intense heat

• They are dissolved by water and replaced with minerals from the earth

• They are compressed into diamonds

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What do paleontologists do with the fossils they find?

• They use them to create replicas of ancient organisms

• They return them to the place where they were found

• They study them and display them in museums

• They sell them to collectors

What can fossils include?

• Only bone imprints

• Only shell imprints

• Only casts of footprints

• Bone or shell imprints, casts of footprints, or even impressions of whole organisms

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What has been found petrified in amber?

• Dinosaur bones

• Insects

• Human artifacts

• Plant seeds

How long was the largest dinosaur fossil ever found?

• 12.5 meters

• 22.5 meters

• 32.5 meters

• 42.5 meters

Do paleontologists believe they have a complete record of all the dinosaurs that lived based on the fossils found?

• Yes, they have a complete record

• No, they only have a small percentage

• Yes, but only for marine dinosaurs

• No, they have a complete record except for flying dinosaurs

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