Fossils | Study Cards

Question 1

What is the purpose of Paleobiology

Answer 1

To help discover, desrcibe, and name new fossil species

Question 2

What is the purpose of a fossil record?

Answer 2

Is the primary source of data about evolutionary history & is the physical proof that these beings once existed.

Question 3

Fossils found in the highest strata are the ___

Answer 3

most recent

Question 4

Fossils found in the lowest strata are the ___

Answer 4

oldest

Question 5

Give examples of a hard structure:

Answer 5

Shells 
Teeth 
Bones
Wood 
Leaves

Question 6

What happens to soft remains?

Answer 6

They are eaten by scavengers or decompose

Question 7

What are some drawbacks of fossils?

Answer 7

Provides an incomplete portrait of the past as there are only 300,000 fossil species

Question 8

List the 4 most common fossils:

Answer 8

• 1) Hard bodied
• 2) Have to wide spread
• 3) Abudant Organisms
• 4) Lived near swamps & shallow seas with sedimanetaion

Question 9

How can fossils be deformed?

Answer 9

by the pressure of rocks & destroyed by geological disturbances

Question 10

What is Relative Dating

Answer 10

Give a relative age based on the position of strata layers

Question 11

List the 3 cons of Relative Dating

Answer 11

• 1) Not always deposited in horizontal fashion
• 2) Provide no information in age in yrs
• 3) Can be large gaps in the geological record

Question 12

What is Absolute Dating

Answer 12

Uses isotopes & Radioactive decay

Question 13

What are the 5 pieces of information that fossils provide?

Answer 13

1) Can estimate the size & appearence of ancient plants & animals
2) Can reconstruct what the vegetation/ecosystem was
3) Weather prediction
4) How structures were modified & the extinction of evolutionary lineages
5) Geographic distribution of ancient organsims