You think that a fossil is non-living and was never part of a living thing.

You are correct!

This is a tricky one! The 'fossil' in the photo is really a stone sculpture of the original animal. This animal lived in the sea millions of years ago. It was covered with a hard shell. When it died it fell to the sea bed. The soft parts inside the shell were decomposed but the shell remained. Earth movements, involving high temperatures and pressures, caused molten (melted) rock to enter the shell. This rock took the shape of the original animal. Over many years the shell wore away leaving only the stone.

Now try question 7

© Shirley Burchill 2008