Fossils
I.
Historical
Geology
A.
Fossil-
from fossils meaning “dug up”
B.
Paleontology-
study of fossils
C.
Definition: The remains or evidence of ancient plants or
animals that have been reserved in rock
D.
History
1.
Greeks
600 B.C-
a.
Anaximander-
Found fish fossils high above sea level - Thought fish were the forerunners of
all living fish
b.
Xenophones-
576-480 B.C - Found fish fossils- Concluded that seas formerly covered that
part of the Earth
c.
Herodotus-
450 B.C- Found fossils in Egyptian Limestone’s- Thought these were remains of
food of those who worked on Pyramids
d.
Aristotle-
400 B.C Stated that fossils were organic in origin embedded in rock by
mysterious plastic forces within the Earth.
e.
Theophrastus-
350 B.C - Thought fossils were seeds or eggs that had been planed in rock
f.
Strabo-
63 B.C-20 A.D - Determined that rocks with fossils have been subjected on
considerable elevation after formation
2.
Dark
Ages
a.
Fossils
were thought of as freaks of nature
b.
Remains
of special creation
c.
Devices
of the devil to lead men astray
3.
Renaissance
a.
Remains
of Great Flood recorded in scriptures
b.
Leonardo
Da Vinci 1452-1519. Flood could not account for all fossils. Fossils are evidence of ancient life. Sea floor was uplifted.
II.
Paleontology-
Study of Ancient Life
Palaios - Ancient
Ontos - A Being
Logos - A discourse
III. Preservation of Fossils
1.
Most
fossils are found in Marine Sediments
2.
Original
“Soft Parts” of organisms
a.
Frozen
b.
Salted
c.
Oil
Saturated
d.
Tree
Resins - Amber
e.
Dried
- Arid Regions
3.
Original
“Hard Parts”
a.
Shells
b.
Teeth
c.
Bones
d.
Exoskeletons
e.
Woody
Tissues
4.
Altered
“Hard Parts”
a.
Petrified
- Turned to stone. Minerals Deposited
in open spaces of Hard Parts
b.
Carbonization
- Decay of Organic material after burial.
Film of Carbon. “Carbon Copy”
c.
Mold
& Cats -
1.
Impression
= mold
2.
Filled
in mold = cast
d.
Traces/
Impressions
1.
Foot
prints
2.
Animal Tracks
e.
Corpolites
- Fossil Excrement
f.
Gastroliths
- stomach stones
IV. Gaps in the Fossil Record
1.
Erosion/
Changes in Rock Cycle
2.
Buried
3.
Missing
Links
V.
How
Are fossils Listed
1.
Provide
information about:
a.
When
organism lived
b.
Where
organism lived
c.
How
organism lived
d.
Habitats/
Environment
2.
Age
of Rocks - Index/ Guide Fossils
a.
Dinosaurs-
Mesozoic Era only
b.
Trilobites
3.
Correlation
- Relationships of matching rock layers/ specific fossils
Fossils: Remains or evidence of Ancient plants or animals
that have been preserved in rock
·
What
kind of Rock do you think you would find Fossils? Why?
·
How
are fossils formed?
Fossilization:
1.
Organism
with hard body parts (bones, teeth, shell, wood)
2.
Must
escape Destruction after Death
3.
Rapid
burial retarding decomposition
Kinds
of Fossils Samples
Original
Remains - Soft Materials
1.
Frozen - Wooly Mammoth
2.
Oil
Saturated - La Brea Tar Pits
3.
Amber - Resin (pine
Pitch)
4.
Dried
- Arid / Desert Regions
5.
Salted
Original
Remains Hard Materials
1.
Shells - clams,
snails (calcareous)
2.
Bones
& teeth (Phosphate)
3.
Exoskeletons
Replaced Remains
1.
Petrification
- Ground water with minerals which replace bone or wood
2.
Mineralization-
Original matter decays leaving a thin film of carbon
Traces
& Impressions
1.
Molds & Casts - impressions of shells, bones, and leaves
a.
Mold-
Hollow shape where fossil had been
b.
Cast-
Mold filled with sediments
2.
Tracks,
trails, burrows - Footprints
3.
Coprolites-
Petrified poop. Fossil dung
4.
Gastroliths
- Stomach stones
·
Show
samples: Have students write down type of fossilization , discuss
·
What
kinds of things do fossils tell us?
1.
Life
forms
2.
Periods
of time
Index
fossil / Guide Fossil
1.
Unique
in some way - Characteristics
2.
Found
over a wide area- match rock layers around the world. Correlation of rock layers
3.
Lived
a short period of time. Only found in a few rock layers
Facies
Fossils
1.
Common
Fossils
2.
May
still be found today (Live)
3.
Lived
for long periods of time. Found in
many rock layers
·
Study
Sheet II - How fossils form. Write
a sentence / explanation
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