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WorksheetsFossils
Total questions: 94
Worksheet time: 2hrs 16mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
People who study fossils are called ____.
a)
meterologists
b)
fossilologists
c)
paleontologists
d)
fossil hunters
2.
Which of the following is NOT an example of a fossil?
a)
a petrified dinosaur bone
b)
a footprint captured in mud
c)
a seashell found on the beach
d)
an insect stuck in amber
3.
Which of the following is NOT something you could learn from a fossil?
a)
The size of the animal
b)
What the animal ate
c)
The color of the animal
d)
Where the animal lived
4.
In which kind of rock do we usually find a fossil?
a)
sedimentary rock
b)
metamorphic rock
c)
igneous rock
5.
In order for a fossil to form, which of the following events must happen FIRST?
a)
Slowly, minerals in the water replace the bone.
b)
Sediment covers the bone.
c)
An animal dies.
d)
The bone is no longer a bone, but a rock copy.
6.
Why don't we know what many ancient plants looked like?
a)
They had too many soft parts.
b)
They were all eaten by dinosaurs.
c)
There weren't ancient plants.
d)
They had too many hard parts.
7.
Which statement BEST describes how the fossil bones of a dinosaur are formed?
a)
The dinosaur became trapped in amber.
b)
The dinosaur was covered in sediment.
c)
The dinosaur was frozen in ice.
d)
The dinosaur stepped in wet mud.
8.
Lily sees a skeleton of a dinosaur at a museum. What is true about the bones that make up the skeleton?
a)
The bones are made up of minerals.
b)
The bones are those of the dinosaur itself.
c)
The bones were formed from mud that hardened.
d)
The bones are made up of amber.
9.
How are Sedimentary Rocks formed?
a)
Cooling and Hardening
b)
Heat and Pressure
c)
Compacting and Cementing
d)
Melting
10.
Where can the oldest layer be found?
a)
The top layer
b)
The middle layer
c)
They are all the same age
d)
The bottom layer
11.
In what kind of rock can fossils be found?
a)
Sedimentary Rocks
b)
Igneous Rocks
c)
Metamorphic Rocks
d)
Granite
12.
How are fossils created?
a)
Traces of organisms get turned into stone.
b)
Dead organisms are quickly buried for millions of years.
c)
Animals get trapped.
d)
All of the above
13.
Which layer formed first?
a)
Rock Layer W
b)
Rock Layer X
c)
Rock Layer Y
d)
Rock Layer Z
14.
What feature is the same in the formation of many sedimentary rocks and all fossil fuels? Many sedimentary rocks and all fossil fuels -
a)
require material to be buried and exposed to heat and pressure
b)
are made out of organic material that stores the sun's energy
c)
form where there are frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity
d)
are produced high in the mountains where temperatures are low
15.
Sedimentary rocks form when broken bits of other rock are deposited and then -
a)
buried and squeezed and cemented together
b)
melted by the heat of the Earth's core
c)
completely dissolved in the salt water of the ocean
d)
used by humans as a natural resource
16.
Which of the following terms best describes body fossils?
a)
rare
b)
widespread
c)
made of stone
d)
mummified
17.
Which of the following is an example of a body fossil?
a)
A perfect mold of a dinosaur bone
b)
A carbon print left by a leaf
c)
The skull of a mammoth that fell into a tar pit
d)
A dinosaur footprint
18.
Which of the following is an example of a trace fossil?
a)
A skeleton preserved in a tar pit
b)
A footprint of an extinct animal
c)
A mummy buried in ice
d)
An insect preserved in amber
19.
Why are deserts, tar pits, and ice good places to find body fossils?
a)
Most ancient organisms lived in these environments
b)
Bacteria and other decomposers cannot thrive in these environments
c)
Many ancient organisms traveled to these places to die
d)
The largest ancient organisms lived in these places
20.
In order to form a fossil, an organism must usually ______ quickly after it dies.
a)
decompose
b)
go extinct
c)
rot
d)
be buried
21.
What can you conclude from the fact that so many fossils involve shells, skeletons, and teeth?
a)
Most organisms on earth have shells, skeletons, or teeth
b)
Bacteria and decomposers consume these parts first after an animal dies
c)
These parts decay slower that other body parts
d)
These parts are more likely to be buried in ice than other body parts
22.
Although a cast fossil looks like an original bone or shell, how is it different?
a)
It's made of rock
b)
It contains skin, hair, and other remnants
c)
It has been liquefied
d)
It is completely colorless
23.
A mold fossil is most similar to:
a)
An eggshell with no egg inside
b)
A replica of your teeth made at the dentist's office
c)
A bone your dog buries in the backyard
d)
An insect trapped in tree sap
24.
What two forces can turn fossils into fossil fuels?
a)
Lift and thrust
b)
Wind and rain
c)
Temperature and pressure
d)
Motion and time
25.
Which statement is true about the fossil record?
a)
It is a record of all living things
b)
It shows how our climate has remained the same over time
c)
It provides evidence for history of life on Earth
d)
It does not support the theory of evolution
26.
An organism that no longer exists on Earth is
a)
decayed
b)
evolved
c)
extinct
d)
preserved
27.
The fossil record is most useful for determining
a)
relatedness of ancient species
b)
relatedness of species that evolved recently
c)
whether organisms produce the same proteins
d)
adaptations in bacteria
28.
Finding a sharp, jagged tooth tells scientists that particular animal ate what?
a)
plants
b)
trees
c)
meat
d)
drank water
29.
In very cold climates, fossils can be preserved in _____.
a)
ice
b)
tar
c)
amber
d)
mud
30.
The preserved remains of a plant or animal that live long ago are called______.
a)
mummies
b)
wooly mammoths
c)
fossils
d)
organisms
31.
The weather conditions over a long period of time is called _____.
a)
rain
b)
precipitation
c)
weather
d)
climate
32.
Donna wants to make something that looks like a fossil. Which should she do?
a)
mix sand and clay and let it dry
b)
cover a seed with soil and water it
c)
push a shell into clay and pull it out
d)
wrap a leaf around a rock and freeze it
33.
Fossils of fish are found under land where cows now live. What does this tell you?
a)
the fish were dropped their by flying birds
b)
this land was once under the ocean
c)
farmers fed the fish to the cows
d)
fish used to live on land
34.
Which animal part would MOST LIKELY form a fossil?
a)
fur
b)
lung
c)
bone
d)
muscle
35.
Why do bones and teeth remain as part of some fossils?
a)
they are white
b)
bones are large
c)
the parts are hard
d)
bones decay easily
36.
These are dinosaur footprints. What is this a example of?
a)
All of the below!!!!!
b)
index fossil
c)
permineralized remains
d)
trace fossil
37.
Which is NOT a type of fossil?
a)
carbon film
b)
mold or cast
c)
sediment
d)
petrified wood
38.
Why don't all living things become fossils?
a)
because some living things are too small
b)
because some living things are too big
c)
because some are subject to catastrophism and others are not
d)
because environmental conditions have to be just right to prevent decay
39.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
preservation of actual remains
b)
replacement of mineral matter
c)
molds,casts,imprints
40.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
preservation of actual remains
b)
replacement of mineral matter
c)
molds,casts,imprints
41.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Carbon flim
c)
Cast
d)
Original Remains
42.
Which fossil is an impression left by the original organism?
a)
cast
b)
mold
c)
trace
d)
preserved remains
43.
Why is the fossil record incomplete?
a)
fossils get eroded away over time
b)
most organisms never became fossils
c)
scavengers and decomposers eat them too quickly
d)
all of the above
44.
Which of the following statements about the fossil record is true?
a)
all organisms become fossils
b)
organisms having soft body parts make up most of the fossils
c)
all organisms that have shells become fossils
d)
the fossil record is incomplete
45.
The process by which the remains of ancient living things are turned into rock.
a)
photosynthesis
b)
fossilization
c)
erosion
d)
weathering
46.
The rate of decay of any radioactive element CHANGES FREQUENTLY.
a)
True
b)
False
47.
Geologists use radioactive dating to determine THE ABSOLUTE AGE OF ROCKS.
a)
True
b)
False
48.
All plants and ANIMALS contain carbon.
a)
True
b)
False
49.
__________________is the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in an element to decay.
a)
dating range
b)
half life
50.
Half-life is ...
a)
The time for 1/2 of radioactive atoms to decay
b)
The age of a fossil
c)
spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus
51.
Absolute age is the true age of something compared to something else.
a)
True
b)
False
52.
If a sample contains 100g of a radioactive isotope, how much will be left after 3 half lives?
a)
50g
b)
25g
c)
12.5g
d)
6g
53.
If a sample contains 60g of a radioactive isotope, how much will be left after 2 half-lives?
a)
30g
b)
15g
c)
7.5g
d)
120g
54.
A sample has 20g of an isotope with a half-life of 1000 yrs. How much is left after 2,000 yrs?
a)
10g
b)
5g
c)
2.5g
d)
.5g
55.
The original radioisotope has a mass of 10g. After 2 days, 5g are left. What is the half-life?
a)
1 Day
b)
2 Days
c)
3 Days
d)
4 Days
56.
What is radio active decay?
a)
The preserved remains of an organism.
b)
Atoms in an unstable element break down to form another element.
c)
When things die and their remains are buried.
d)
The time it takes for 1/2 of the radioactive atoms to decay in an element.
57.
After 2 half lives, how much of the radioactive atom is still present?
a)
50%
b)
25%
c)
100%
d)
12.5%
58.
The age of an object in relation to the ages of other objects is known as what?
a)
relative age
b)
absolute age
c)
half-life
d)
unconformity
59.
What is the half-life of Thorium-232?
a)
4.47 billion years
b)
14.0 million years
c)
14.0 billion years
d)
232 million years
60.
If you had 100 g of Thorium-232, how long would it take for 50g to decay?
a)
4.47 billion years
b)
14.0 million years
c)
14.0 billion years
d)
232 million years
61.
If you had 100 g of Potassium-40, how long would it take for 50 g of Argon-40 to form?
a)
1.25 billion years
b)
1.25 million years
c)
2.5 billion years
d)
2.5 million years
62.
If you had 100 g of Potassium-40, how long would it take for 75 g of Argon-40 to form?
a)
1.25 billion years
b)
1.25 million years
c)
2.5 billion years
d)
2.5 million years
63.
If you had 90 g of Uranium-235, how much would remain after 0.704 billion years?
a)
90 g
b)
0 g
c)
45 g
d)
4.5 g
64.
If you had 90 g of Uranium-235, how much would remain after 2.112 billion years?
a)
90 g
b)
67.5 g
c)
45 g
d)
22.5 g
65.
If you had 90 g of Uranium-235, how much would have decayed after 2.112 billion years?
a)
90 g
b)
67.5 g
c)
45 g
d)
22.5 g
66.
Some ELEMENTS can decay over time.
a)
True
b)
False
67.
Radioactive elements occur naturally in SEDIMENTARY rocks.
a)
True
b)
False
68.
Geologists use radioactive dating to determine THE ABSOLUTE AGE OF ROCKS.
a)
True
b)
False
69.
What is a fossil?
a)
Foot prints, burrows, or other impressions made by animals that give use clues to how they lived.
b)
When things die and their remains are buried.
c)
The preserved remains of an organism.
d)
The age determined by the things around it.
70.
What is 'half-life'?
a)
The age determined by the things around it.
b)
The age of an igneous rock.
c)
The age determined by radioactive dating.
d)
The time it takes for 1/2 of the radioactive atoms to decay in an element.
71.
What does radio active dating works best to determine?
a)
The age determined by the things around it.
b)
The age of an igneous rock.
c)
The age determined by radioactive dating.
d)
The time it takes for 1/2 of the radioactive atoms to decay in an element.
72.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Preserved remains
d)
Trace fossil
73.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Preserved remains
d)
Petrified
74.
What type of fossil is this?
a)
Mold
b)
Cast
c)
Carbon Film
d)
Trace fossil
75.
Fossils are usually found in
a)
igneous rock
b)
extrusions
c)
intrusions
d)
sedimentary rock
76.
What is hardened tree sap?
a)
coprolites
b)
index fossils
c)
gastroliths
d)
amber
77.
Which of these must happen first for a fossil to form?
a)
a plant or animal is covered by sediment
b)
sediments fill a mold and form a cast
c)
a plant or animal is eaten
d)
sediments are pressed together and harden
78.
Principe of _________________: in a sequence of undeformed sedimentary rocks, the oldest are on the bottom and the youngest are on the top
a)
Superposition
b)
Original Horizontality
c)
Faunal Succesion
d)
Inclusion
79.
Which layer is the oldest?
a)
D
b)
C
c)
B
d)
A
80.
Before absolute dating of rocks/fossils was developed in the 20th century, geologists had to rely on ________________ dating
a)
Romantic
b)
Relative
c)
Nuclear
d)
Solar
81.
Relative age dating assumes that the lower layers in any particular cross section are ____________ than the upper layers in that cross section
a)
Younger
b)
Smaller
c)
Bigger
d)
Older
82.
Layers of rock can tell us a lot about the history of an area. The most accurate way to date rock is using the law of superposition.
a)
True
b)
False
83.
The Law of Superposition is ________ dating.
a)
Absolute
b)
Relative
84.
The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?
a)
The absolute age of rock layers
b)
The age of fossils
c)
The relative age of rock layers
d)
the super powers of rocks
85.
Which statement describes the principle of superposition?
a)
Rock Layers are laid down horizontally.
b)
Rock layers are laid down vertically.
c)
The oldest sedimentary rocks layers are at the bottom.
d)
The oldest sedimentary layers are at the top.
86.
According to the law of superposition, the oldest fossils are found
a)
At the top of the rock layers
b)
Near the bottom of the rock layers
c)
In the middle of the rock layers
d)
Somewhat near the surface
87.
True or false: The most accurate way for a scientist to the determine the age of a rock layer would be to compare the amount of stable daughter elements present with the amount of radioactive parent element in the rock layer.
a)
True
b)
False
88.
Scientist make both observations and inferences in a scientific investigation. Which of the following is an inference about plants?
a)
The plant’s leaves are green and appear wilted.
b)
The plant uses water to perform photosynthesis.
c)
The plant absorbs water through its root system.
d)
The plant's leaves are wilted due to lack of water.
89.
Geologists use radioactive dating to determine THE ABSOLUTE AGE OF ROCKS.
a)
True
b)
False
90.
During ______________, the atoms of one element break down to form atoms of another element.
a)
radioactive decay
b)
potassium decay
91.
An element that has broken down and released particles and energy is said to be _______________.
a)
radioactive
b)
subatomic
92.
Rock can be broken down in many different way. When water freezes, it will expand and can apply enough force to split open rocks. Which of the following occurs at a place experiencing daily freezing and thawing cycles?
a)
The area experiences less landslides.
b)
The area experiences a reduced rate of rock erosion.
c)
The area experiences a greater amount of weathering.
d)
The area experiences a quicker movement of plate tectonics.
93.
Alfred Wegner was the first person to propose the theory of continental drift, or the movement of tectonic plates over time. Pangaea was the large landmass that spread out to become the continents we know today. Which of the following is physical evidence to support his theory?
a)
Fossils of the same types of plants and animals are found on different continents
b)
Pictures of people who love on the same continent look simil
c)
Map from the 19th century that shows the locations of continents and oceans
d)
Paper by fellow scientists explaining the movement
94.
Antarctica is extremely cold and dry. Only a few living things can survive their today. However, scientists discovered fossils of green fern plants in Antarctica. Based on their discovery, what is the best conclusion?
a)
The climate of Antarctica changed over time as the continent moved.
b)
The location of Antarctica has always been at the South Pole.
c)
These are fossils of an organism that adapted overtime to Antarcitca.
d)
The fossils were a result of global warming.
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