Fossils and Stuffs

Question 1

When did the Big Bang occur?

Answer 1

12-15 bya

Question 2

When did Earth form?

Answer 2

4.5-5 bya

Question 3

What are plate tectonics?

Answer 3

Plate tectonics is the study of plate movements.

Question 4

What are tectonic plates?

Answer 4

Tectonic plates are huge chunks of earth, on which everything ‘floats’

Question 5

What are convection currents?

Answer 5

heat rising, cools off, sinks, heats up again and keeps going

Question 6

What do convection currents do?

Answer 6

Convection currents move the plates

Question 7

What happened aprox. 350 mya?

Answer 7

Pangea forms and has one giant ocean called Panthalassa that surrounds it.

Question 8

What happened aprox. 200 mya?

Answer 8

Pangea broke into 2 large pieces:
Laurasia- northern part
Gondwanaland- southern part
sea of Tethys in the middle

Question 9

What was Laurasia?

Answer 9

Laurasia formed North America, Europe, and Asia.

Question 10

What was Gondwanaland?

Answer 10

Gondwanaland formed Africa, Australia, Antarctica, South America, and India.

Question 11

What is the Fossil Record?

Answer 11

The fossil record is a ‘history’ of life on Earth based on the appearance/disappearance of various organisms- based on fossils

Question 12

What is Paleontology?

Answer 12

Paleontology is the study of fossils.

Question 13

What is a fossil?

Answer 13

A fossil is the preserved remains of plants and animals.

Question 14

What are the types of fossils?

Answer 14

Body Fossils and Trace fossils.

Question 15

What is a body fossil?

Answer 15

Body fossils are the actual remains of the body of the organism (usually hard parts)

Question 16

What is a trace fossil?

Answer 16

Trace fossils are indirect evidence of animal activity (footprints, tracks, claw marks)

Question 17

What are the Methods of Preservation?

Answer 17

Amber, Freezing/Mummification, Fossilization/Petrification, Carbonization, and Molds+Casts

Question 18

How does amber preserve things?

Answer 18

Amber is fossilized tree resin. To form it needs moderate temperatures, to be submerged in salt water, and an airless environment.

Question 19

What are inclusions?

Answer 19

Inclusions are ‘things’ stuck in amber while it is still resin

Question 20

What happens when organisms are frozen/mummified?

Answer 20

The organisms are intact, and almost everything is preserved

Question 21

What happens during fossilization/petrification?

Answer 21

They involve changing an organism to stone.

Question 22

What is permineralization?

Answer 22

When minerals fill up the space between cells.

Question 23

What is petrification?

Answer 23

When minerals fill up the cells

Question 24

What is Carbonization?

Answer 24

known as element C. Sometimes left behind after soft parts decay and gases escape. Often fish or ferns (looks like pencil)

Question 25

What are molds?

Answer 25

impressions of animals or plants

Question 26

What are casts?

Answer 26

model that only shows external features