Fossil Formation

What are the steps involved in fossil formation?

• Freezing of the organism, submersion in water, rapid decomposition and mineralization

• Death of the organism, rapid burial in sediment, decomposition and mineralization, uplift and erosion exposing the fossil

• Burning of the organism, scattering of the remains, slow burial in sediment

• Mummification of the organism, exposure to air and sunlight, gradual erosion of the fossil

What is the role of sediment in fossil formation?

• Sediment dissolves the remains, preventing fossil formation.

• Sediment attracts predators that destroy the remains, preventing fossil formation.

• Sediment covers and protects the remains, leading to fossil formation.

• Sediment has no effect on fossil formation.

How long does it take for a fossil to form?

• Fossils can take from 10,000 to millions of years to form.

• It takes 100 years for a fossil to form

• Fossils form in a matter of days

• Fossils form instantly

In order for a fossil to form, which of the following events must happen FIRST?

• Slowly, minerals in the water replace the bone.

• Sediment covers the bone.

• An animal dies.

• The bone is no longer a bone, but a rock copy.

During a field trip, Nawar and his friends discover a bone in a riverbed. In order for that bone to eventually become a fossil, which of the following events must happen FIRST?

• Slowly, minerals in the water replace the bone.

• Sediment covers the bone.

• An animal dies.

• The bone is no longer a bone, but a rock copy.

What is the main difference between a cast fossil and a mold fossil?

• A cast fossil is a 3D impression of the organism, while a mold fossil contains the actual remains.

• A mold fossil is a hollow impression of the organism, while a cast fossil is a 3D model created when the mold fills up.

• A cast fossil is made of amber, while a mold fossil is made of sediment.

• There is no difference; they are the same type of fossil.

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Where are fossils usually found?

• Volcanic rocks

• Glacial ice

• Sedimentary rocks

• Desert sand

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

How are fossils created?

• Traces of organisms harden like rock.

• Dead organisms are quickly buried for millions of years.

• Dead animals get trapped.

• All of the above

Which step in fossilization comes first?

• An organism dies and the soft part of it decays.

• Over time, layers build pressure that turn the layers to stone.

• Wind and water erosion expose the fossil to the surface.

• Minerals around the skeleton preserve the bones.

Which fossil layer is the youngest?

• Layer A

• Layer B

• Layer C

• Layer D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3