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Fossil Formation Review

Total questions: 16

Worksheet time: 16mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is a fossil?

a)

A type of rock

b)

Remains or traces of ancient organisms

c)

A type of plant

d)

A type of mineral

2.

Which of the following is the first step in the process of fossilization?

a)

Erosion

b)

Burial under sediment

c)

Decomposition

d)

Weathering

3.

How can fossils help us understand past environments?

a)

By showing the colors of ancient plants

b)

By providing evidence of the types of organisms that lived and their habitats

c)

By indicating the age of the Earth

d)

By revealing the diet of modern animals

4.

Which condition is necessary for an organism to become a fossil?

a)

Exposure to sunlight

b)

Rapid burial under sediment

c)

Being eaten by predators

d)

Living in a forest

5.

What can the presence of marine fossils in a desert tell us?

a)

The desert was once underwater

b)

The desert is very old

c)

The desert has a lot of sand

d)

The desert is close to the ocean

6.

Why is it rare for soft tissues to become fossilized?

a)

They are too small

b)

They decompose quickly

c)

They are not important

d)

They are too colorful

7.

Construct an argument for why fossils are important to scientists.

a)

Fossils are colorful and pretty

b)

Fossils help scientists understand the history of life on Earth

c)

Fossils are easy to find

d)

Fossils are used to make jewelry

8.

What role does sediment play in fossil formation?

a)

It provides food for the organism

b)

It protects the organism from decay

c)

It makes the organism grow faster

d)

It changes the organism's color

9.

Develop a model to describe how a fish might become fossilized.

a)

The fish swims in the ocean forever

b)

The fish is eaten by a predator

c)

The fish dies, sinks to the bottom, and is buried by sediment

d)

The fish turns into a plant

10.

Why might a scientist study the layers of rock where a fossil is found?

a)

To find gold

b)

To determine the age of the fossil

c)

To see how deep the ocean is

d)

To find water

11.

What evidence can fossils provide about extinct animals?

a)

Their favorite food

b)

Their size and shape

c)

Their favorite color

d)

Their speed

12.

How can the study of fossils help us predict future changes in the environment?

a)

By showing us what animals will look like

b)

By providing evidence of past climate changes and their effects on life

c)

By telling us what the weather will be like tomorrow

d)

By showing us how to build better houses

13.
Which fossil layer is the youngest? 
a)
A. Layer A
b)
B. Layer B
c)
C. Layer C
d)
D. Layer D
14.
Which best describes fossils?
a)
They are the preserved remains or evidence of ancient living things
b)
They are the preserved remains or evidence of ancient living and nonliving things
c)
They are the preserved bones of ancient animals
d)
They are impressions of plant leaves in ancient rocks
15.

What information can fossils provide about ancient climates?

a)

The speed of ancient winds

b)

The color of ancient skies

c)

Evidence of past climate conditions and changes

d)

The temperature of the Earth today

16.

Why are fossils found in sedimentary rocks more often than in other types of rocks?

a)

Because sedimentary rocks are the hardest

b)

Because sedimentary rocks are found only in deserts

c)

Because sedimentary rocks are the oldest

d)

Because sedimentary rocks form in layers that can preserve remains