Fossils: Clues to the Past Quiz

What is a fossil?

• A living animal or plant

• A photograph of a dinosaur

• The remains of an animal or plant that lived long ago

• A type of rock

How old must remains be to be considered a fossil?

• At least 1,000 years old

• At least 10,000 years old

• At least 100,000 years old

• At least 1,000,000 years old

What happens to an animal's skeleton over many years after it dies and gets buried?

• It remains intact

• It turns into a living animal again

• It gets crushed by layers of sediment and minerals replace the bones

• It floats to the surface

What can cause the rock surrounding a skeleton to surface?

• An earthquake or erosion from wind and rain

• A volcanic eruption

• A flood

• A tornado

What is amber?

• A type of rock

• Hardened tree sap that can preserve small bugs or insects

• A type of fossilized bone

• A type of sediment

Where have scientists uncovered more than three million fossils from the Ice Age?

• The Sahara Desert

• The La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles

• The Amazon Rainforest

• The Rocky Mountains

What is the largest dinosaur fossil ever found?

• Tyrannosaurus rex

• Triceratops

• Sauroposeidon

• Velociraptor

How long was the sauroposeidon dinosaur?

• 30 feet

• 60 feet

• 90 feet

• 120 feet

What is the smallest dinosaur fossil ever found?

• Tyrannosaurus rex

• Triceratops

• Microraptor

• Velociraptor

How long was the microraptor dinosaur?

• About a foot long

• About 5 feet long

• About 10 feet long

• About 20 feet long