WorksheetsTYPES OF FOSSILS
Total questions: 150
Worksheet time: 2hrs 38mins
Describes a group of living things that are no longer living.
fossil
extinct
endangered
dinosaur
The hardened remains of a living thing that died long ago.
fossil
extinct
endangered
minerals
Why are there more animal fossils than plant fossils?
Animals are smaller than plants.
Plants have harder bodies than animals.
Plans have softer bodies than animals.
Animals eat plants.
Which type of fossil would look just like the body part of a once-living thing?
mineral
footprint
cast
petrified wood
Which is an imprint fossil?
bone
a cast
an animal track
amber fossil
Which type of rock are most fossils found?
sedimentary rock
metamorphic rock
igneous rock
fossils
An animal has sharp, pointy teeth, what can we infer about this animal?
The animal lived in the water
The animal lived near the beach.
The animal is a carnivore.
The animal only ate plants.
If a scientist found a fish fossil in the desert, what can they infer?
An animal ate the fish.
The water covered the area long ago.
Today's fish looks the same
The fish is endangered.
How are an elephant and a mammoth alike?
They are both endangered.
They are both extinct.
They both have tusks.
They both live in a warm climate.
What statement is true about fossils?
All living organisms leave behind fossils.
Fossils show that camels never change.
Some living things have not really changed in millions of years.
Plant fossils have never changed.
What needs to happen FIRST for a fossil to form?
A plant or animal must be covered by sediment.
A plant or animal must die and decompose.
Sediments fill a a mold to form a cast.
An earthquake shifts the land up.
Which of these animals is extinct?
Camel
Rhino
Red Panda
Saber-toothed cat
What replaces the wood of a once-living thing to form petrified wood?
amber
cast
mold
minerals
Why are there a lot of fern fossils?
Ferns are hard like bones.
Ferns have changed little over time.
Ferns were larger than all plants.
Most animals ate ferns.
How can you make a mold of an ancient seashell?
Press the seashell in model clay.
Draw the seashell
Press the seashell in model clay to make a mold then fill it in.
Trace the seashell
This type of fossil is tree sap hardened and replaced by minerals.
Petrified wood
Imprint
Amber
Mold
Turtles look much like they did millions of years ago. What can we infer about turtle fossils?
They did not change over time.
The turtle survived the ice age.
Turtles went extinct.
Turtles were never endangered.
What can we infer about animals with dull teeth?
They ate other animals.
They ate only plants.
They ate nothing.
They only ate fish.
In which kind of rock do we usually find a fossil?
sedimentary rock
metamorphic rock
igneous rock
If you know the age of a fossil, you know the relative age of the ________________ it was found inside.
sticky tar
rock
amber
ice
If you know the age of a rock, you know the relative age of the _________________ that was found inside.
sticky tar
fossil
amber
ice
Which of the following would be an example of absolute age?
Fossil A is older than Fossil B
Fossil A and Fossil B are the same age
Fossil A is 10 million years old
What are the oldest fossils and why?
B, C- because they are closest to the top
A, B- because they are closest to the bottom
They are all the same age- because they are all found on layer 2
A, B- because they are found closest to the top
Which of the following can be learned by using the fossil record?
When organisms changed or evolved
when organisms appeared on Earth
when organisms became extinct
All the above
If scientists found this fossil in a desert, what could they infer?
what fish are like today
that this fish lacked oxygen
that water once covered the area where this fossil was found
Fossil A is an ancient mollusk, an organism that needs water to survive. Why do you think that the mollusk went extinct in this particular sample of the fossil record?
When the ocean levels rose in layer 4, the mollusk went extinct because they cannot live in water
For some reason, the ocean disappeared causing the mollusk to thrive
For some reason, the ocean disappeared causing the mollusk to go extinct
When the ocean level rose in layer 4, the mollusk thrived because they need water
When did fossil A become extinct?
Layer 1
Layer 2
Layer 3
Layer 4
Organisms D and C clearly lived in an aquatic (water) environment. Organism A does not look like it lived in the water. What is the most likely explanation for this?
The fossil in layer A died on land and was carried to the water
The fossils in layer C and D did not live in the same location as the fossil in layer A
The environment changed over a long period of time. It used to be under water, but is not anymore
Describes a group of living things that are no longer living.
fossil
extinct
endangered
dinosaur
Which type of rock are most fossils found?
sedimentary rock
metamorphic rock
igneous rock
fossils
If a scientist found a fish fossil in the desert, what can they infer?
An animal ate the fish.
The water covered the area long ago.
Today's fish looks the same
The fish is endangered.
What needs to happen FIRST for a fossil to form?
A plant or animal must be covered by sediment.
A plant or animal must die and decompose.
Sediments fill a a mold to form a cast.
An earthquake shifts the land up.
What needs to happen SECOND for a fossil to form?
A plant or animal must be covered by sediment.
A plant or animal must die and decompose.
Sediments fill a a mold to form a cast.
An earthquake shifts the land up.
Scientist study the ____________________ to learn about the history of life, past environments on Earth, and how different groups of organisms have changed over time.
fossil record
animal record
historical record
Earth record
Which part of an organism's body typically fossilizes?
Cartilage
Skin and muscles
Teeth and bones
Hair and organs
What can fossils tell us about the past? (check all that apply)
Which organisms used to live on Earth and what they looked like
How the environment has changed
How organisms alive today have changed and adapted over time
How to make a taco
What does the Law of Superposition tell us?
The most superior rock is the top layer of rock
The oldest rock is the most top layer of rock
The youngest rock is the most top layer of rock
The strongest rock is the most top layer of rock
Which of these can often cause extinction of a species? Check all that apply.
Disease
Over-hunting
Invasive Species
Loss of habitat
Lack of food resources
What is speciation?
Speciation is how a new kind of plant or animal species is created, often due to the plant or animal being isolated.
Speciation is how species breed with other species, and this often happens on islands.
Speciation is how hybrid species are created, for example, when two different dog breeds mate together.
Speciation is when an entire species gene pool dies.
The preserved remains or evidence of ancient living things...
clay
fossils
igneous rocks
silt
The idea that conditions on Earth change in quick, violent events...
catastrophism
uniformitarianism
The idea that geologic processes occurring today have occurred in the past...
catastrophism
uniformitarianism
How do fossils form?
An organisms is rapidly buried. The sediments and minerals replace the tissues.
An organism is buried slowly. Only bones can become fossils
Which is a mold?
the impression left by an organism
a copy of the organism, like a statue
Which is a cast?
the impression in a rock left by the organism
a copy of the organisms made of sediment
Coal is the carbon left over from plants in between rock layers. Is coal technically a fossil?
yes
no
Who studies ancient environments?
biologists
specialologists
paleontologists
scientologists
What can we learn about by looking at fossils? (Choose 2)
They're really cool.
They are evidence of ancient environments.
They can show how sea level rise could happen.
We can't learn anything by studying fossils.
A scientist finds footprints in a fossilized stream bed. This is a ________.
carbon film
mineral replacement
cast fossil
trace fossil
Fossils could provide evidence for....
relationships between past organisms and current organisms
past organisms only
current organisms only
Which statement is true?
Layer C is the oldest
Layer B is older than Layer A
Layer B is older than Layer C
Layer A is the youngest
Which type of rock can contain fossils?
Metamorphic
Stereosonic
Sedimentary
Igneous
What type of fossil is pictured here?
Mold fossil
Trace fossil
Cast fossil
Body fossil
What type of fossil is pictured here?
Mold fossil
Trace fossil
Cast fossil
Body fossil
What type of fossil is pictured here?
Forest fossil
Trace fossil
Cast fossil
Body fossil
What type of fossil is pictured here?
Mold fossil
Trace fossil
Cast fossil
Body fossil
Which conditions might lead to fossil formation? (Choose 3)
Decomposition
Getting buried quickly by sediment
getting trapped in a tar pit
getting eaten by another animal
making a footprint in mud
What conclusions could you make about the environment where this fossil formed?
It was under water.
It might have been a grassland.
It was snowy and cold.
It was a desert.
What is a good rule to follow when determining the age of rock layers?
The oldest is always on the top.
The rock layers get older as you dig deeper.
The layers position does not necessarily tell you about the age.
The youngest is always on the bottom.
Which is the most common fossil type?
Body fossil
Trace fossil
Cast fossil
Mold fossil
Scientists can study fossils to learn about
the ___________.
past
present
future
none of the above
What most likely made this fossil?
Plant
Animal
Footprint
Bone
What most likely made this fossil?
Plant
Animal
Footprint
Bone
A fossil of a fish is found on top of a
mountain. You can argue that the area
was once
underwater
a desert
much colder
much warmer
Over millions of years, trees may become fossilized when they turn into_____
paper
soil
rock
water
Which is a fossil?
bone from a chicken dinner
a live plant
the preserved remains of a plant or animal that lived long ago
a piece of pottery
The body parts of this fossil tell you that this animal _________.
Flew
Hopped
Swam
Crawled
What is the correct listing of steps for a fossil?
1) Pressure created a rock.
2) Plant or animal is buried.
3) Plant or animal is left alone for years.
4) Plant or animal dies.
1) Plant or animal dies.
2) Plant or animal is left alone for years.
3) Pressure created a rock.
4) Plant or animal is buried.
1) Plant or animal dies.
2) Plant or animal is left alone for years.
3) Plant or animal is buried.
4) Pressure created a rock.
1) Plant or animal dies.
2) Plant or animal is buried.
3) Plant or animal is left alone for years.
4) Pressure created a rock.
Scientists discovered the fossilized remains of an unidentified animal. They can tell from its remains that it had gills and fins, but no legs. What conclusion about the animal can they draw from the evidence?
It was a land mammal.
It lived in the water all the time.
It had legs that did not fossilize.
It lived in the water and on land.
How did scientists first learn about dinosaurs?
by studying their fossils
by reading about them
by watching movies
by looking at pictures
What must happen to an organism's body for it to become a fossil?
It must remain above ground.
It must dry out in the sunlight.
It must be buried right after death.
It must be eaten by other animals.
Where are most fossils formed?
near volcanoes, because the high heat of the lava helps to form fossils
in glaciers, because fossils are created when an organism is frozen quickly
in sedimentary rock, because being buried in sediment helps to form fossils
near earthquakes, because the shaking ground traps organisms to create fossils
Which type of scientist studies life that existed
long ago, mostly by studying fossils?
biologist
zoologist
botanist
paleontologist
The picture shows a tooth fossil of the extinct
Megalodon shark next to teeth from a great white
shark, which is still found today.
Which of the following best explains the
difference in the size of the teeth?
Sharks were once larger than the sharks that are living today.
The fossilized tooth was filled with water, which made it grow in size.
Sharks alive today do not live long enough to grow very large teeth..
The fossilized tooth had extra sediment around it, which became a part of it
Which feature helps the most to identify the organism as a plant?
size
color
smell
shape
Which property of the leaf can be learned from
the fossil?
the size of the leaf
the color of the leaf
how fast the leaf grew
which animals ate the leaf
What is the best explanation for the location of the fossil?
This kind of fish was often eaten by land animals.
This kind of fish had once lived on land.
The area used to be filled with water.
The area used to be very cold.
The organism represented in this fossil
fed mostly on fish and algae.
moved by using many tiny legs.
lived in an environment that required a hard shell for protection.
had an internal skeleton that was used to maintain the organism's shape.
Most fossils form when living things die and are buried by _______________ that hardens into rock over time.
sediment
people
cement
ants
What type of fossils provide evidence of the activities of ancient organisms?
molds and casts
petrified fossils
trace fossils
carbon films
An organism is ______________ if it no longer exits and will never live again on Earth.
rare
extinct
plentiful
missing
A ______________________ is a scientist who studies fossils.
biologist
chemist
paleontologist
astronomer
Which of the following substances is not able to preserve entire organisms?
sticky tar
water
amber
ice
Scientist study the ____________________ to learn about the history of life, past environments on Earth, and how different groups of organisms have changed over time.
fossil record
animal record
historical record
Earth record
Where can the oldest layer be found?
The top layer
The middle layer
They are all the same age
The bottom layer
Which layer formed first?
Rock Layer W
Rock Layer X
Rock Layer Y
Rock Layer Z
Which animal part would most likely form a fossil?
Muscle
Fur
Lung
Bone
The remains of an organism studied by scientists is called a ____________.
paleontologist
fossil
dinosaur
shark
Which would be an example of a fossil?
Sedimentary Rock
Dinosaur Footprint
Oyster Pearl
Rotting Log
Which type of fossil is created when an organism gets trapped in tree resin?
Trace
Mold/Imprint
Amber
Cast
Which is NOT a way an organism could become a fossil?
It can be frozen in ice.
It can be quickly buried in sediment after death.
It can be trapped in the resin of a tree.
It can be left out in the sun to decompose.
An organism should be buried quickly after it dies if it has a chance of becoming a fossil
True
False
How do scientists learn about dinosaurs?
by studying fossils
by reading about them
by watching movies
by visiting Jurassic Park
What conclusions could you make about the environment where the animal that made this fossil lived in?
It was under water because it has fins.
It might have been a grassland because it has 4 legs.
It could fly and live in trees because it has wings.
What is a good rule to follow when determining the age of rock layers?
The oldest is always on the top.
The rock layers get older as you dig deeper.
The youngest is always on the bottom.
A giraffe has a long neck in order to better reach leaves to eat. This is an example of _____.
an adaptation
environment
response
stimulus
part of DNA that codes for a specific trait
gene
chromosome
