Question

lesson outline continued

1. fossils also form when ________________________ in groundwater replace the tissues of dead organisms.
2. some fossils are ________________________, which is the impression in a rock left by an ancient organism.
3. when a mold fills with sediment or mineral deposits, it forms a fossil called a(n) ________________________
4. ________________________ show evidence of the activity of ancient organisms, such as tracks or nests.

d. ancient environments

1. ________________________ are scientists who study fossils.
2. paleontologists compare fossils of ________________________ with organisms that live today.

a. paleontologists use ________________________ to learn about the environment of ancient organisms.
b. if a fossil of an ancient organism is similar to an organism that lives today, the two organisms might have lived in a similar ________________________

1. fossils show that earths climate has ________________________ many times in the past.
2. fossils of plants such as ________________________ indicate that much of earth was warm and humid 100 million years ago.
3. fossils of some species such as the woolly mammoth help scientists learn about that the climate of earth was ________________________

Explanation:

These are fill-in-the-blank questions about fossil formation and paleontology, a subfield of Earth/biological science. Answers are based on standard fossilization and paleontology concepts:

1. Minerals in groundwater replace organism tissues to form fossils.
2. Molds are rock impressions left by ancient organisms.
3. A mold filled with sediment/minerals becomes a cast.
4. Trace fossils show ancient organism activity like tracks.
5. Paleontologists are scientists who study fossils.
6. Paleontologists compare ancient organisms' fossils to modern ones.
7. Fossils are used to study ancient environments.
8. Similar fossils/modern organisms mean similar habitats.
9. Earth's climate has changed many times.
10. Tropical plant fossils show past warm, humid conditions.
11. Woolly mammoths lived in cold, icy climates.

Answer:

1. Minerals
2. molds
3. cast
4. Trace fossils

D. Ancient Environments

1. Paleontologists
2. ancient organisms

a. fossils
b. environment/habitat

1. changed
2. tropical plants
3. cold (and icy)