Question

A fossil is a
A. Naturally preserved remains or traces of animals or plants.
B. Dead animal of the past
C. Organic relic of the past
D. Stuffed animal

Answer 1

Hint: Fossils are the natural artefacts or the preserved remains of living organisms such as a plant, insects, and animals. Not all dead animals or living organisms become fossils.

Complete answer: Fossils are important for us to study what might have happened millions of years ago. Scientists who are specialized in studying fossils are called palaeontologists. There are different types of fossils;
a) Trace fossils: These are the traces of footprints, burrows, root cavities, etc. It is also known as fossil footprints. It can tell us about the organism, their size, number of legs, etc.
b) Mold fossils: These are fossils that are formed when a plant or an animal dies and are covered by sediments. The flesh of the organism gets decayed with time and the bones deteriorate, which leaves a cavity below the ground surface.
c) Cast fossils: These are formed when the mould fossils are filled in by surrounding minerals and sediments. It is a replica of the original organism.
d) True form fossils: These are the large body parts of an organism that has been replaced by minerals. It is created by a process known as petrification.
Hence, the correct answer is option A.

Note: The study of fossils is known as palaeontology, which helps in understanding the ancient animals and plants, their behaviour, etc. Oil, gas, coal, etc. are known as fossil fuels because they are formed from the organic remains of ancient prehistoric organisms.