Fossils

Front

What is a fossil?

Back

A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a plant or animal that lived in the past.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

What does it mean if an animal is extinct?

Back

An extinct animal is one that no longer exists anywhere on Earth.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

What does endangered mean?

Back

Endangered means a species is at risk of becoming extinct.

Front

What is the first step in the fossilization process?

Back

A plant or animal must die and decompose.

Front

What conditions help a body become fossilized?

Back

Being buried deep under the ground increases the chances of fossilization.

Front

What can a fossilized jawbone tell us?

Back

It can tell us what the animal ate.

Front

What is sediment?

Back

Sediment is small particles of rock, soil, and organic material that can cover and preserve remains.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is a mold in fossil formation?

Back

A mold is a hollow impression left in sediment when an organism decays.

Front

What is a cast in fossil formation?

Back

A cast is a solid copy of the shape of an organism formed when minerals fill a mold.

Front

How do fossils help scientists?

Back

Fossils provide information about past life forms and the environment they lived in.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2