Fossils Test 2025

Science Olympiad
Columbia High School Invitational
Team Number/School: ___________________________
Names: _____________________________
____/77 points

Station 1:

1. What genus of organism does this belong to?

2. What geological epoch did this organism live in?

3. What is the significance of this organism?

4. Where and when was this fossil found?

 Station 2:
Identify the specimens and period a-h:

5. A:

6. B:
7. C:

8. D

9. E
10. F

11. G

12. H
 Station 3:

13. Identify the genus of the organism pictured.

14. Name the class that this organism belongs to.

15. During which period did this organism exist?

16. What state in the US do you find extremely high concentrations of this fossil?

17. What genus does this fossil

belong to?

18. Based on the structure of the

molars, what type of food did this
organism eat?

19. True/False: This type of fossil has

been found in New York State.

20. What modern-day species would

this fossil be a common ancestor of?

21. What era and period did this fossil

live during?

22. What major Geologic Event occurred during this time period?
 Station 4: Geologic Timeline and Concept Matching
23. Name the 5 major mass extinction events that occurred and when they occurred.

Extinction Event When it occurred

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

24. What was the major event that caused the Cretaceous extinction?

25. Where did this major event occur?

26. What major extinction event caused the largest percentage of species lost?

27. What caused this extinction event in #4?

Match the preservation process with its description:

Cast Silicification Permineralization Carbonization External Mold

28. The process by which minerals replace the organic material, leaving a detailed replica.

29. Organic material is preserved as a carbon film, often seen in plants or soft-bodied animals.

30. Minerals fill the pores of the organism, preserving its structure.

31. The organism’s exterior shape is preserved in sediment, forming a hollow impression.

32. Silica replaces organic material, often found in plants or wood, preserving fine details.
Match each Lagerstätte with the key organisms or fossils it is famous for:

A) Burgess Shale
B) Beecher’s Trilobite Bed
C) Mazon Creek
D) Solnhofen Limestone
E) Yixian Formation
F) Green River Formation
G) La Brea Tar Pits
H) Ghost Ranch

33. Feathered dinosaurs and early birds

34. Trilobites and exceptional soft-bodied organisms from the Cambrian

35. Mesozoic flying reptiles, ichthyosaurs, and Archaeopteryx

36. Early Triassic dinosaurs and archosaurs

37. Fish, birds, and plants preserved in lake deposits

38. Pleistocene megafauna and large vertebrates

39. Coal swamp and freshwater fossils, including plants and arthropods

40. Preservation of detailed arthropods and trilobite molts

Station 5: Multiple Choice Questions
41. According to the law of superposition, in an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary
rocks, the oldest layers are located:

A) At the top of the sequence

B) In the middle of the sequence
C) At the bottom of the sequence
D) Randomly distributed throughout the sequence

42. Which of the following best describes the principle of original horizontality?

A) Rocks are deposited in horizontal layers.

B) Rocks are always deposited at the same rate.
C) Sedimentary layers that are tilted were once horizontal.
D) Rocks only form at the Earth's surface.

43. Which method of radiometric dating is typically used to date rocks that are millions to
billions of years old?

A) Carbon-14 dating
B) Potassium-Argon dating
C) Uranium-Lead dating
D) All of the above

44. Which of the following radioactive isotopes is used to date fossils and rocks that are
less than 50,000 years old?

A) Carbon-14
B) Potassium-40
C) Uranium-238
D) Rubidium-87
45. Coquina is a type of sedimentary rock made primarily of:

A) Cemented fragments of plant material

B) Shell fragments from marine organisms
C) Silica particles from ancient plants
D) Mud and silt particles from river environments

46. In which of the following organisms is biological apatite (calcium phosphate) most
commonly found?

A) In the exoskeletons of arthropods

B) In the bones and teeth of vertebrates
C) In the shells of mollusks
D) In the outer coverings of marine sponges

47. Calcite and aragonite are both forms of calcium carbonate, but they differ in:

A) Their crystal structure

B) Their color
C) Their mineral hardness
D) Their presence in biological systems

48. Silica is the primary mineral found in the exoskeletons of which of the following
organisms?

A) Mollusks
B) Arthropods
C) Diatoms and sponges
D) Vertebrates

49. Which of the following organic substances is the main component of the
exoskeletons of arthropods such as insects and crustaceans?

A) Collagen
B) Chitin
C) Keratin
D) Calcium carbonate
 Station 6: Extended Response
50. A sample has a parent-to-daughter ratio of 1:3. If the half-life of the isotope is 1,000
years, how old is the sample?

51. A geologist discovers a layer of shale that contains well-preserved fish fossils and
plant material. Based on this evidence, what can the geologist infer about the ancient
environment of deposition?

52. In the geological record, stromatolites are found in rocks that date back to over 3
billion years ago. Why do these ancient stromatolites provide critical evidence for the
role of cyanobacteria in shaping Earth’s atmosphere and life?

53. A paleontologist discovers a dinosaur trackway where the stride length is 100 cm,
and the dinosaur’s estimated hip height is 50 cm. Calculate the relative speed ratio and
determine whether the dinosaur was walking, trotting, or running.
54. A dinosaur footprint is 40 cm long. Using the formula for hip height, calculate the hip
height of the dinosaur. Then, using the formula for head-to-tail length, calculate the
approximate body length of the dinosaur.

55. A dinosaur footprint is 40 cm long. Using the formula for hip height, calculate the hip
height of the dinosaur. Then, using the formula for head-to-tail length, calculate the
approximate body length of the dinosaur.