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Mold Fossils Definition

Mold fossils are hollow spaces left in rock by animal or plant remains that have dissolved. For example, they may retain shell ridges.

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The Fossil Record

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Molds form when buried remains of plants and animals decompose.
  • Trace fossils can be molds and casts.
  • Molds can fill with minerals, forming cast fossils.

Why Do We Need To Know About Mold Fossils

Learning about mold fossils helps us know more about the history of life on Earth. These fossils are like nature’s snapshots, showing us what the world looked like long ago. This is important for jobs in science like studying old life forms (paleontology), the environment (environmental science), and living things (biology). Knowing about the past helps us understand our world today and plan for the future.

Also, finding and studying mold fossils is useful in other areas like studying rocks (geology), ancient human history (archaeology), and even in building things like roads and buildings (construction and civil engineering). For example, people who study rocks use mold fossils to learn more about how the Earth’s surface was formed. Sometimes, when people are building something, they might find important fossils. Knowing about mold fossils can be important for many different jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are fossils discovered?
Earth processes like erosion and earthquakes can move sediment from one location to another, often uncovering and exposing fossils. Scientists also concentrate their search efforts in areas that are known to have lots of fossils, like Utah.
How do trace fossils provide evidence of past life?
Trace fossils provide information about how an organism lived, including but not limited to how it moved, what it ate, and where it lived.
How do layers of rock provide information in the fossil record?
Over time, sediment forms layers beneath the Earth’s surface. The deeper fossils are found in the Earth’s crust, the older they are. The closer to the surface fossils are found, the younger they are.
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