Excavations at a fossil site uncovered a layer of ancient flood debris - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 18 - 2007 - Paper 1
Question 18
Excavations at a fossil site uncovered a layer of ancient flood debris. The layer consisted of stones and sand, mixed with fossilised plant and animal remains. The d... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Excavations at a fossil site uncovered a layer of ancient flood debris - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 18 - 2007 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. the fossils are less than 10 million years old.
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Answer
This statement is not necessarily true. Although the fossils found in the layer were uncovered in debris dated at approximately 10 million years, it does not mean that the fossils are younger than 10 million years. They could be older.
Step 2
B. the rocks of the valley walls are younger than the fossils.
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This statement is also not accurate. The rocks surrounding the fossil layer could be older than the fossils, as they are part of the geological context that may have existed before the layer of fossils was deposited.
Step 3
C. the plants and animals lived in the same habitat.
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While it is likely that the fossilised remains found together suggest they lived in the same ecosystem, this cannot be definitively concluded without more evidence. Fossils found together may come from different environments or habitats.
Step 4
D. the stones mixed with the fossils cannot be younger than the fossils.
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This statement is true. Since the stones were mixed with the fossil material, they must have been present before or at the same time as the fossils were deposited, making them not younger than the fossils.
