Fossils, Rock Layers & Life History — Drills · Grade 7 Science
Chapter: Evolution, Evidence & Life HistoryWhat these drills covers
By the end of Fossils, Rock Layers & Life History you should be able to:
- I can explain fossils, rock layers & life history.
- I can use evidence, a model, and stated assumptions to support a biological explanation.
4 questions, multiple choice and written answer, each with a worked explanation.
Vocabulary used: fossil, trace fossil, relative age, extinction, fossil record.
Problem 1
Which is trace evidence?
- A preserved footprint
- A graph axis
- A fictional budget
- A lens factor
Answer and explanation
A preserved footprint
A footprint records activity rather than preserving the whole body.
Problem 2
Why does one fossil collection not inventory every species that lived?
Answer and explanation
Preservation and exposure vary, and collections sample limited places and materials. Many organisms leave no detected fossil in that collection.
Problem 3
Can a footprint be a fossil without a preserved body?
Answer and explanation
Yes. It can preserve evidence of an organism’s activity and is a trace fossil.
Problem 4
Why can fossil absence be uncertain?
Answer and explanation
Preservation, exposure, and sampling vary, so an organism may leave no detected record.