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The Fossil Record
Question | Answer |
---|---|
fossil | Preserved remains or traces of ancient plant and animal life. |
trace fossil | Impression or other preserved sign of activity such as feeding, scratching, burrowing, walking, or resting. |
body fossil | Preserved remains of the plant or animal itself, or the preserved parts of the animal or plant like bones, teeth, and shells, or the imprint of parts of the animal or plant. |
mold fossil | Hollow space left in a rock by animal or plant remains that have dissolved. |
cast fossil | When molds fill in with minerals or sediments that later harden, the resulting fossil is called a cast. |
permineralization | Groundwater fills pore spaces in animal or plant remains and deposits minerals. Most dinosaur body fossils are formed this way. |
strata | Layers of sedimentary rock that compile and compress over time that can trap fossils within them. |
transitional fossil | A fossil that provides evidence for organisms transitioning from living in water to land. |
evolution | Evidence that organisms have changed over long periods of time. |
paleontologist | A scientist that studies the fossil record to better understand life on Earth. |