Fossils and the History of Life

Why are the oldest fossils found deeper underground?

• Less advanced organisms lived deeper underground.

• Deeper rock layers are less suitable for fossilization.

• Fossils move downward as rock layers shift.

• New rock layers are deposited on top of older ones.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Which statement about fossils is FALSE?

• Fossils can be preserved remains or trace fossils such as footprints.

• The fossil record is the sum total of what scientists know about fossils.

• Fossils are commonly found because every animal dies and leaves a fossil.

• It is rare to find fossils because very specific conditions are needed for a fossil to form.

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What is the geologic time scale?

• A timeline of the different types of geological formations throughout Earth's history.

• A scale that shows how to determine the ages of different types of rocks.

• A calendar of Earth's history based on the ages of different fossils and rocks.

• A calendar that records when each fossil was discovered.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

The fossil record reveals...

• a limited history of life on Earth based on the fossils that have been collected.

• the complete history of animal and plant life on Earth.

• that all animal and plant life on Earth will eventually become fossils.

• that every organism that has ever lived on Earth is still alive today.

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Why do scientists find different fossils in different rock layers?

• Different organisms lived at different depths underground.

• Rocks change shape after they form.

• Organisms have changed over time.

• Different scientists are doing the digging.

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Fossils are...

• always the skeletons or bones of organisms.

• rare because fossilizing conditions are uncommon.

• created after every animal and plant dies and decomposes.

• evidence of every organism that has ever lived on Earth.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which statement most accurately describes the fossil record?

• The fossil record allows scientist to learn information about the history of life on Earth.

• The fossil record only contains fossils consisting of animal and plant remains.

• The fossil record contains fossils from every organism that has ever lived on Earth.

• The fossil record provides information about organisms but not about their environment.

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A species of plant is often used as an index fossil. What are some likely properties of this plant?

• It lived only in a certain location.

• It lived briefly and went extinct.

• It was widespread on Earth.

• It required a lot of water to survive.

In radioactive dating, scientists determine the age of a fossil by...

• measuring the amount of carbon-14 in the fossil.

• measuring the weight of the fossil.

• comparing the fossil to other fossils found in the area.

• comparing the fossil to currently living species.

When scientists do not know the actual age of a fossil but want to compare its age to that of another fossil, they use...

• radioactive dating.

• relative dating.

• record dating.

• absolute dating.