What are Fossils Fossils Preserved remains or traces

What are Fossils? • Fossils – Preserved remains or traces of living things.

How are Fossils preserved? • When an animal dies, the remains are covered by sediment. This sediment hardens and forms rock layers over time.

Fossilization Video • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=4 d. Tz 416 r. Yg

What moves the sediment? WEATHERING AND EROSION

Types of Fossils • There are 6 types of Fossils: – Molds – Casts – Petrified Fossils – Carbon Films – Trace Fossils – Preserved Remains Brain Pop Video https: //www. brainpop. com/science/diversityoflife/fossils/

Molds and Casts • Mold – A hollow area in sediment in the shape of the organism. • Cast – A solid (3 D) copy of the shape of an organism.

Petrified Fossils • Petrified Fossils – When minerals replace all or part of an organism, and it becomes stone.

Carbon Films • Carbon Film – An extremely thin coating of carbon on rock. – All living things are made up of carbon! – When the other materials decompose or evaporate, carbon is left in the rock, creating a carbon film.

Preserved Remains • Preserved Remains – When most or all of an animal is preserved in its original form. – Amber, Ice and Tar can preserve an ancient organism exactly how it was long ago.

Trace Fossils • Trace Fossils – Fossils that provide evidence of the activities of ancient organisms. – Dinosaur Footprints are a perfect example!

Trace Fossil Inferences • Look at the footprints in the diagram. • What inferences can you make about what happened here?