Question

How do most fossils form? Be sure to explain your answer.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Fossils can be formed in a variety of ways. First and foremost, organisms that possess bones (or shells) are the best candidates for fossilization because these structures commonly remain in fossilizing substances such as mud.

The most preserved fossils come from animals that die in aquatic environments or in environments that have a high level of humidity. This occurs because the animal gets buried in a sediment like mud, leading to the decomposition of soft structures and the fossilization of hard structures, such as bones. As layers of sediment are added, the dead body of the organism becomes a fossil.

Also, animals can leave well-preserved fossils during volcanic eruptions when they get trapped in hot ash flows. In addition, this could also occur in tundra ecosystems when animals get trapped in ice, leaving a well-preserved fossil inside. Moreover, plants are also fossilized, this generally takes place in sediments such as coal.

Finally, paleontologists are able to find the fossils once they become exposed thanks to a process called erosion.

Answer 2

Answer:  Most fossils are formed in water. So, for a fossil to form, an organism must die and fall to the bottom of a lake or ocean. Layers of sediment then cover the organism. Eventually, over millions of years, the layers of sediment become rock and preserve the shape of the organism.