Fossils and ancient life | Geology homework help

you will visit several web sites to learn more about ancient life and fossils. Each question is worth 1 pt each.

A. Getting into the Fossil Record
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/fossil/9to12/intro.html

1. View   the animation about getting into the fossil record, and write several explanations   summarizing how a dinosaur can become a fossil. 

2. The   word “fossil” means what (from Latin)? 

3. What   are paleontologists? 

4. Fossils   can be body parts of ancient organisms, or they can be traces. Give five   examples of traces. 

1. Which type of organism do you        think is most likely to be preserved? One that gets buried quickly or        one that gets buried slowly? Why?

1. What are three biotic factors        that can affect an organism after death? 

1. What is an abiotic factor that        can prevent the organism from becoming preserved, AFTER it has been        buried? 

1. What type of animal might become        preserved in amber? 

1. Where is a tar pit found? 

1. What type of animal might become        preserved in a tar pit? 

1. Which is more likely to        fossilize? Hard parts or soft parts? 

1. Which type of rock is most        likely to contain fossils? Igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic? 

1. Why is a mammoth more likely to        fossilize than a caterpillar? 

B. History of Life Through Time

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/historyoflife.php

1. What are the 3 domains of life?

Click on the link for Bacteria in the diagram.

1. What do bacteria do, and why are        they important?

1. What is the age of the oldest        fossil bacteria?

At the bottom of the Bacteria Page, click on Fossil Record   and follow the links.

1. What are cyanobacteria?

1. Name two layered structures that        cyanobacteria form.

1. Explain how cyanobacteria        produce these layered structures.

Use the Back button to return to the “History of Life   Through Time” page. Click on the link for Eukaryota in the diagram.

1. Which four groups of organisms        are included in the Eukaryota?

Click on the Palm Tree.

1. Plants first appeared in the        __A__ but did no begin to resemble modern land plants until the Late        __B__.

A.

B.

1. Trees appeared by the end of the        __A__ Period.

A. 

Use the Back button to return to the “History of Life   Through Time” page. Click on the link for Archaea in the diagram.

1. When were the Archaea        discovered?

1. What sorts of extreme        environments do the Archaea inhabit? List five.