Week 1

Question 1

Dino Myths (6)

Answer 1

1. they were slow and stupid- They were actually agile and speedy
2. They all lived at the same time– Paleozoic era (before 251MA) , Mezozoic which includes triassic (251MA- 200MA) jurassic (200MA-145MA) and creatous (145MA-65MA).
3. Some swam in ocean- None swam in ocean.
4. They had scaly skin- most had feathers
5. They went extinct 65.5MA (Cenozoic era)- Only really big dinos went extinct, not small ones.
6. They were unsuccessful- They existed for 170 million years (much longer than humans) and they still live amoung us (birds).

Question 2

What era did the dinos live in and what is its 3 periods?

Answer 2

Mesozoic era
1. Triassic
2. jurassic
3. cretaceous

Question 3

Define geology

Answer 3

scientific study of earths materials and earths history
minerals, rocks, fossil,chronology…

Question 4

scientific method

Answer 4

observation-asks the question
hypotheses- possible explanations for the question
observation/experiment- test and reject/accept possible hypothese
conclusion- last surviving hypotheses to be taken as best explanation
scientific theory- accumulated body of knowledge

Question 5

Fossil

Answer 5

any physical evidence of ancient life

Question 6

Trace fossil

Answer 6

indirect evidence (ex) tracks (footprints), feces, skin imprints, eggs..

Question 7

Body fossil

Answer 7

direct evidence of body or body parts such as mineralized bones or soft tissue

Question 8

Rapid burial

Answer 8

avoids scavenging, erosion, or other damage

Question 9

Preserved

Answer 9

soft sedimentary rocks that aren’t changed too much

Question 10

fossilized

Answer 10

to protect body fossils.
Usually by replacement of one mineral by another

Question 11

Permineralized

Answer 11

Most common for dino bones.
includes:
- decay of organic material opens up pores in the bone
-pores are filled with mineral precipitates
- then bone minerals are gradually replaced

Question 12

Other evidence and data used in interpreting dinos

Answer 12

1. living relatives (chickens)
2. rocks
3. computer modelling
4. other fossil groups

Question 13

How to collect fossils

Answer 13

• fossil bones are exposed and encased in a plaster cast, this allows safe removal to the lab
• bones are prepared and reconstructed in the lab (not in feild)
• reconstructed skeletons are hypotheses of the interpretations of fossil bones. They are made up of casts (reproduction) of the real bones held in mueseums.