How Fossils Form - Lesson 1 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What are fossils?

A preserved clue to life and the remains of living things that lived on Earth long ago, found most often in sedimentary rock.

How do fossils form?

From dead plants or animals being buried by sediment that hardens and preserves remains.

What are some other ways fossils can form?

Some fossils are traces, such as footprints or a mineral filling the hollow of a rock.

What are trace fossils?

Fossils that show changes that long-dead animals made in their surroundings or environment. Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of trace fossils?

Tracks, footprints, burrows, droppings, and worm holes. Signup and view all the answers

What can a trace fossil show?

Clues about animals, such as how they might have moved, what they ate, and their size. Signup and view all the answers

What is a mold in the context of fossils?

An imprint made by the outside of a dead plant or animal that leaves a hollow space. Signup and view all the answers

What is a cast?

Sediments and minerals that fill a mold and have the same outside shape as the original living thing. Signup and view all the answers

How does a mold form?

Water washes animal or plant remains out of a rock, leaving a space that matches the shape of the once-living thing. Signup and view all the answers

What are petrified fossils?

Fossils that form when minerals slowly take the place of original, once-living material. Signup and view all the answers

How is a fossil formed in a tar pit?

They can preserve once-living things as animals or plants get stuck because tar is sticky. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of rocks are fossils found in?

Sedimentary rocks. Signup and view all the answers

Where and when was the first fossil of a dinosaur found?

In 1685, England. Signup and view all the answers

Where were the first dinosaur footprints found?

In Connecticut by a 12-year-old boy. Signup and view all the answers

What was the first animal on Earth?

Fossils tell us that jellyfish were the first animals on Earth over 500 million years ago. Signup and view all the answers

What is amber?

An insect trapped in the sap of an evergreen tree, which hardens to form a clear yellow material. Signup and view all the answers

What is carbon film?

A thin black film in the shape of a leaf that remains after high heat causes chemicals to evaporate from buried leaves. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fossils

Preserved clues to life; remains of ancient living organisms.
Commonly found in sedimentary rock formations.

Fossil Formation

Formed from dead organisms buried by sediment which hardens to preserve remains (e.g., bones, teeth, wood, shells).
Not all fossils represent once-living entities; some are traces of organisms.

Types of Fossils

Trace Fossils: Indicators of actions or behaviors of ancient organisms; show interaction with the environment.
Examples include tracks, footprints, burrows, droppings, and worm holes.
Provide insights into an animal's movement, diet, and size.

Mold and Cast Formation

Mold: Imprint left by a dead organism; creates a hollow space when remains wash out (e.g., crab shell).
Cast: Occurs when sediments and minerals fill a mold, replicating the original shape.

Petrified Fossils

Formed when minerals replace organic material, turning it into stone.
Example: Petrified trees in Petrified Forest National Park, where wood is replaced by quartz.

Fossil Preservation Environments

Tar pits preserve organisms by trapping them in sticky tar, preventing decay.
Fossils predominantly found in sedimentary rocks, formed by rapid burial of organisms.

Historical Fossils

First dinosaur fossil found in 1685, England.
The earliest recorded dinosaur footprints discovered in Connecticut by a 12-year-old boy.

Early Life Forms

Jellyfish identified as the first animals on Earth, existing over 500 million years ago.

Unique Preservation Methods

Amber: Insects trapped in hardened tree sap, leading to preserved specimens within clear yellow material.
Carbon Film: Result of a leaf buried in sediments exposed to heat; leaves behind a thin black imprint of the leaf's shape.

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Description

Explore the fascinating process of fossil formation in this set of flashcards. Learn about how fossils are preserved and the different types of fossils that can form over time. Perfect for anyone interested in paleontology and geology.