science

science
Overview: Labs are used often in the physical science field. This assignment encourages students to apply geologic principles of sedimentation to phenomena
observed in the real world.
Prompt: Review the instructions below on how to make a fossil. Make the two fossil mediums described below and use a variety of objects (leaves, feathers,
money, etc.) to make impressions in the medium. These will be your pseudo-fossils. In a Word document, submit a picture of your completed ”fossils” and
respond to the questions concerning your experiment.
Instructions for Fossil Medium 1:
Ingredients:
0 1/2 cup cornstarch
0 5/8 cup cold water
0 1 cup baking soda
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients over medium heat in a saucepan until it thickens and looks like mashed potatoes (about 4 minutes). Remove and cover with a
damp cloth until cool.
2. Knead the dough.
3. Shape into balls.
4. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or plastic bag until needed.
Instructions for Fossil Medium 2:
Ingredients:
0 1 cup flour
0 1/2 cup salt
0 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
0 1/2 teaspoon alum (you can also substitute cream of tarter)
0 3/4 cup water
Directions:
1. Mix everything but the water. Add a little water at a time until the mixture is the consistency of bread dough.
2. Knead until smooth.
3. Shape into balls.
4. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag until needed. For long-term storage, keep in the refrigerator.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
0 What objects fossilized the best? What characteristics of the object influenced this?
0 How did the characteristics of the medium (i.e., the dough) influence fossilization?
0 Based on your answers to the above questions, what type of organisms would you expect to be the most commonly preserved? What type of
environment is most conducive to this preservation?
o How do you think your findings show a ”bias” toward certain organisms in the fossil record?
0 What information can fossils tell us about Earth’s past?