Exploring Earth's History and Fossils

A paleontologist discovers a fossil of a fish in a desert region. Using your knowledge of Earth's history, what can you infer about the environment of that region millions of years ago?

• The region was always a desert.

• The region was once covered by water.

• The region was a dense forest.

• The region was a volcanic area.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

A fossilized leaf is found in a sedimentary rock layer. What steps would you take to determine the age of the fossil, and what evidence would you use?

• Compare it to modern leaves.

• Use radiometric dating of the rock layer and compare fossil types in surrounding layers.

• Measure the size of the leaf.

• Check the color of the rock.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

If a mass extinction event wiped out 75% of Earth's species, what evidence would you expect to find in the fossil record to support this event?

• A sudden increase in the number of fossils.

• A sharp decrease in the diversity of fossils in layers after the event.

• No change in fossil types.

• Only plant fossils would be found.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A scientist finds a fossil in a rock layer and claims it is from the Jurassic period. What reasoning and evidence should the scientist use to support this claim?

• The fossil looks old.

• The fossil matches known Jurassic species and the rock layer dates to the Jurassic period.

• The fossil is found near a volcano.

• The fossil is very large.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

How would you use the Law of Superposition to determine the relative ages of fossils found in different rock layers?

• The oldest fossils are always on the top.

• The oldest fossils are found in the lowest layers, and the youngest in the upper layers.

• Fossils are randomly distributed.

• The age cannot be determined by layer position.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

You find a fossil of a plant species that is known to have existed only during the Carboniferous period. What can you infer about the age of the rock layer where it was found?

• The rock layer is from the Carboniferous period.

• The rock layer is from the Jurassic period.

• The rock layer is from the Cretaceous period.

• The rock layer is from the Quaternary period.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

How could the discovery of a sudden change in fossil types in a rock layer help scientists understand past events on Earth?

• It shows that nothing changed.

• It suggests a major event, like an extinction or environmental shift, occurred.

• It means fossils are not reliable.

• It only shows the age of the rocks.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A scientist finds a fossil of a land animal in a rock layer above a fossil of a marine animal. What can be inferred about the environmental changes in that area over time?

• The area was always land.

• The area changed from a sea to land over time.

• The land animal lived in the sea.

• The fossils are not related.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

If you find a fossil of a tropical plant in a region that is now cold and icy, what does this suggest about the region's past climate?

• The region was always cold.

• The region was once much warmer.

• The plant adapted to cold.

• The fossil is not real.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

How can index fossils help scientists correlate the ages of rock layers in different locations?

• Index fossils are found everywhere, so they are not useful.

• Index fossils are unique to certain time periods, so their presence helps match the ages of rock layers.

• Index fossils only show the type of rock.

• Index fossils are only found in one place.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3