What fossils tell us about past environments

Question 1

True or false? Antarctica was once warm enough for forests.

• A. True
• B. False

Question 2

What does this fossil evidence tell us: fossil palm leaves and ferns found in Antarctica?

• A. the land was once warm and wet
• B. there was once a warm, shallow sea
• C. there was once a lake or sea there
• D. the rock was once under the sea

Question 3

Fossils of the same kind of fern are found in South America, Africa, India and Antarctica. What is the best explanation?

• A. Ferns grow in the sea.
• B. The fern swam across the oceans.
• C. These lands were once joined together.
• D. People carried the fossils around.

Question 4

True or false? Places on Earth have always had the same climate.

• A. True
• B. False

Question 5

What does this fossil evidence tell us: fossil fish in rocks on dry land?

• A. there was once a lake or sea there
• B. the land was once warm and wet
• C. the rock was once under the sea
• D. the climate was once icy cold

Question 6

How do scientists use fossils to work out what a place was like long ago?

• A. Fossils show photos of the past.
• B. They ask the fossils.
• C. They guess from the colour of the rock only.
• D. They compare the fossils with where similar living things are found today.

Question 7

True or false? A fossil fish in a desert proves fish can live in sand.

• A. True
• B. False

Question 8

What does this fossil evidence tell us: fossil fish in rocks on dry land?

• A. the climate was once icy cold
• B. the rock was once under the sea
• C. there was once a lake or sea there
• D. there was once a warm, shallow sea

Question 9

Why are fossils most often found in sedimentary rock like sandstone and limestone?

• A. These rocks are the hottest.
• B. These rocks form from layers of mud and sand that buried living things gently.
• C. Animals chose to die there.
• D. Other rocks are too young.

Question 10

True or false? Fossil shells on mountains show the rock was once under water.

• A. True
• B. False

Question 11

What does this fossil evidence tell us: fossil coral in a desert?

• A. the climate was once icy cold
• B. the land was once warm and wet
• C. there was once a warm, shallow sea
• D. there was once a lake or sea there

Question 12

Why are fossils most often found in sedimentary rock like sandstone and limestone?

• A. These rocks form from layers of mud and sand that buried living things gently.
• B. These rocks are the hottest.
• C. Animals chose to die there.
• D. Other rocks are too young.

Question 13

True or false? Places on Earth have always had the same climate.

• A. True
• B. False

Question 14

What does this fossil evidence tell us: fossil coral in a desert?

• A. the climate was once icy cold
• B. the rock was once under the sea
• C. the land was once warm and wet
• D. there was once a warm, shallow sea

Question 15

A rock layer holds fossil fish, and the layer above holds fossil land plants. What happened?

• A. Plants lived under the sea.
• B. Fish turned into plants.
• C. Nothing changed.
• D. Water covered the area, and later it became dry land.

Question 16

True or false? Fossils can only tell us what an animal looked like, not where it lived.

• A. True
• B. False