Fossils

What is the Fossil record?

the collection of fossils found in rocks that provide evidence of the existence, characteristics and changes of organisms over time

How do fossils form?

organism dies, rapidly buried by sediment, soft tissues decompose to leave only hard structures, more sediment compacts around the remains, minerals replace the remains, sediment becomes rock preserving fossil, fossil is discovered

What is a Cast fossil?

when a mould is filled with minerals or sediment

What is Impression fossil?

a record of the surface shape or features of an organism

What is a Trace Fossil?

evidence of an organisms activity or behaviour such as footprints and fossilised faeces

What is a transitional fossil?

a fossil that shows a combination of characteristics from an ancestral group, providing evidence for evolutionary change