Fossils Notes
I. Definition-_________________ remains or traces of _________________
II. What fossils can tell us
A. How life has _______________ over time
B. How _______________ has changed over time
C. What past _______________ were like
III. How fossils form
A. Most fossils form when ______________ die and are ______________ by sediments.
B. The sediments harden into _________ and preserve the _________ of the organisms.
IV. Why are most fossils found in sedimentary rock?
Summarize
-___ parts of an animal that can become a fossil:
-how is a _________ made?
V. Types of Fossils
A. _________________
B. _________________
C. _________________
D. _________________
E. _________________
F. _________________
A. Mold Fossils
1. A _________________in sediment in the shape of an _________________
2. Can be a _________________of the organism
3. Preserves details of the animal’s _________________
4. Forms when _________________of animal is _________________in sediment
B. Cast Fossil
1. A _________________of the shape of an _________________
2. Opposite of a _________________
3. Preserves details of the animal’s _________________
4. Forms when ______________________seep into the ________________of a mold
C. Petrified Fossils
1. Petrified means, “______________________”
2. Minerals _________________all or part of an organism
3. Example is _________________
D. Carbon Films
1. An extremely thin layer of _________________on rock
2. Can preserve delicate parts of _________________and _________________
E. Trace Fossils
1. Provide evidence of the _________________of ancient organisms
2. Do you think the ground needs to be wet or dry for a trace fossil to form? ___
3. Examples include _________________, ______________, or ______________
F. Preserved Remains
1. Preserves _________________of organisms with _________________change
2. Examples
a. _________________in amber
b. _________________ (and Otzi) in ice
c. _________________in La Brea Tar Pits
Think-Write-Share
Which type of fossil do you think is _______? Why?
VI. Change over time
A. _________________
1. scientists who study _________________
2. collect fossils from _________________ rock
3. use these fossils to decide much about _________________
VII. Fossil Record
A. Provides evidence about _________________of life
B. Provides evidence of past _________________on Earth
C. Shows that different groups of organisms have _________________
VIII. What the fossil record tells us
A. _________________fossils are of _________________organisms
B. _________________rocks contain more _________________organisms
C. Earliest life was _________________
IX. _________________
A. An organism no longer _________________and will not live on Earth again
B. Examples
1. Wooly Mammoth
2. Saber-tooth Cat
3. _________________
Summarize: Circle the letter of the correct answer.
Which is NOT a factor that affects fossilization?
A.
B.
C.
D.
body decay due to natural elements
predators destroying the body
hard or soft body parts
age of the organism