fossils

Front

What are fossils?

Back

Fossils are the hardened remains of plants or animals that lived long ago.

Front

What replaces the wood of a once-living tree to form petrified wood?

Back

Minerals replace the wood.

Front

What can a paleontologist infer if she finds a fossil of a fish on top of a mountain?

Back

The mountain was once underwater.

Front

What is evidence?

Back

Facts and information that show if something is true.

Front

What property of a leaf can be learned from its fossil?

Back

The size of the leaf.

Front

What is the process called when a species no longer exists?

Back

Extinction.

Front

What is a paleontologist?

Back

A scientist who studies fossils.

Front

How do fossils form?

Back

Fossils form when plants or animals are buried by sediment and minerals replace their remains over time.

Front

What can fossils tell us about the past?

Back

Fossils can provide information about the environment, climate, and organisms that existed long ago.

Front

What is a sediment?

Back

Sediment is small particles of rock, soil, and organic material that can bury remains.