Fossils

Vocabulary Fossils & Earth Life in the Past Miscellaneous

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Any naturally preserved evidence of life

fossil

Fossil of an organism that lived during a relatively short time span

index fossil

The hardened sediment around a dead organism’s body

mold

The sediment that fills the space left by a dead organism’s body

cast

_________ stored in the cells of organisms that lived millions of years ago

energy

Where might you expect to find a fossil of a woolly mammoth?

In a glacier

________ tell us more about Earth’s history than the

age of certain rock layers.

fossils

What fossil fuel was formed when swamp plants died millions

of years ago and were buried?

Coal

Which layer of sedimentary rock is the oldest?

Bottom layer

About how old is the Earth?

4.6 billion years old

A period in which a large number of species become extinct

Mass extinction

Although some species become extinct, others have survived by _______ to changes in their environments.

adapting

A fossil of a sea animal was found near the top of a mountain.

What does this tell you about the history of the mountain?

The mountain was under water at one time.

When did dinosaurs dominate the land?

Age of Reptiles

Which organism was an early type of bird that had some

characteristics of dinosaurs?

Archaeopteryx

All living things have _______ stored in their cells.

energy

Name something that can become a fossil.

An impression of a leaf, an animals burrow,

etc.

What types of organisms are most likely to become fossilized?

Organisms with hard tissue that live in water

What are 3 types of fossil fuels and where is each type of fossil fuel found?

Coal – swamps

Natural gas & petroleum - oceans

The energy stored in the cells of organisms that lived millions of

years ago is used today to do what?

2 things

Run machines and make electricity

Tie Breaker

The process by which continents move slowly from one position to

another is known as…

Continental drift