When rocks melt because of extreme heat and then cool and become hard.
What is the process of preserving organisms in stone called?
Fossilization
How are metamorphic rocks formed?
When heat and pressure are applied to layers of rocks found deep underground.
What is the Fossil Record?
The story of life on Earth through stone.
What are fossils?
Remnants or imprints of organisms that are naturally preserved in stone.
Name and explain one of the most common methods of fossilization that causes the remains of organisms to be altered.
Perminerlization- when minerals from water or the ground enter the pores of dead plants or animals. These minerals harden the remains and turn into stone.
How are sedimentary rocks formed?
When tiny pieces of rocks & dirt get blown/washed away from mountains and sink to the bottom of lakes/oceans, creating layers that squeeze together overtime.
Layers deposited first will be oldest and are found at the bottom of a rock, while layers deposited recently are the youngest and are found at the top.
What are the 2 main types of fossils? Name and explain them.
Body Fossils- the preserved remains of plants and animals; Trace Fossils- records of an animal's behaviour eg. footprints
What are the layers of rocks called?
Strata
What is the difference between magma and lava?
Magma is molten rock found under ground, Lava is molten rock found above the Earth's surface.
What are the 3 main types of rocks?
Sedimentary, Metamorphic and Igneous
Explain one way in which organisms can be mummified?
When organisms eg. insects, are trapped in amber. Tree sap covers the insect forming a protective seal. Overtime the sap hardens with the insect inside.
Name 3 types of fossilization methods that allow organisms to remain unaltered.
Organisms that have been frozen, preserved in tar pits or mummified
What is stratigraphy?
The study of layers of rocks to determine geological timelines.
Give 3 examples of sedimentary rocks.
Sandstone, Mudstone, Limestone, Shale, Coal...
What are the 3 characteristics of index fossils?
Index Fossils must be widespread, abundant and short-lived.
Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies.