III.

The Fossil record

A. How Do Fossils Form?

* formation of any fossil is a rare event
* most fossils form when organisms that
die become buried in sediments
(particles of soil and rock)

* usually only the hard parts of an

organism form fossils; bones, shells, teeth

1. Petrified Fossils
petrified fossils formed when minerals
replace the remains of an organism and
turn it into rock

2. Molds and Casts

mold hollow space in sediment in

the shape of an organism
* copy of the shape of an organism

cast a copy of the shape of an

organism that made the mold

3. Preserved Remains
a. entire organisms can be preserved in
other substances than sediments
* examples: ice, tree sap, tar pit

What is the difference between

a mold and a cast?

A mold is a hollow space in sediment in the

shape of an organism. A cast is a copy of
the shape of the organism that made the
mold

B. Determining a Fossils Age

* necessary to understand how living
things have changed over time
* scientists can reconstruct the history of
life on Earth

* 2 ways:
1. Relative Dating

relative dating determines which

of two fossils is older

a. fossils found in the layer near the top

of the soil are younger than fossils
near the bottom
b. does not tell scientists the
fossils actual age

2. Radioactive Dating (absolute dating)

radioactive dating determines the

actual age of fossils based on the
amount of radioactive element it
contains

radioactive elements elements that

are unstable and decay, or break
down, into other elements

half-life the time it takes for half of

the atoms in a sample of radioactive
element to decay

example: potassium-40 breaks down

into
argon-40 over time

What is a half-life ?

The amount of time it takes for half the

atoms of a sample of radioactive
element to decay, or break down.

C. What Do Fossils Reveal?

1. Extinct Organisms
* almost all of the species preserved as
fossils are now extinct

extinct no members of a species are

still alive

2. The Geologic Time Scale

a. scientists have created a calendar of
Earths history (4.6 billion years)
* largest span of time is called
Precambrian time (first 4 billion
years)
* 3 major blocks of time after
Precambrian period:
Paleozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era

What is the largest span in the

Geologic Time Scale ?

Precambrian Time.

D. Unanswered Questions
1. Mass Extinctions
a. many types of organisms
become extinct at the same time
b. causes: climate change, asteroid
may
have hit Earth, volcanic eruptions

2. Gradualism
gradualism theory that
evolution
occurs slowly but steadily

3. Punctuated Equilibria

punctuad equilibria species

evolve during short periods of

rapid change

What theory proposes that evolution

occurs slowly but steadily ?

Gradualism.

Assignment
CH 6-3 Section Review Questions
Pg. 197 #1a-4b (11 questions)
Do not write question down
Answer incomplete sentences
Ex 1b) The different types of fossils are petrified fossils,
mold and cast, and preserved remains