Which of the following circumstances is most likely to preserve a fossil?
A) Leaves from an ancient oak tree fall to the ground in a forest.
B) A mammoth dies of starvation in the middle of a vast dry plain.
C) An oyster bed is buried by a submarine landslide.
D) Bacteria living in the ocean die near the shoreline and sink to the bottom.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An oyster bed being buried by a submarine landslide is most likely to preserve a fossil because the sudden burial can protect the organic material from being degraded or decomposed by oxygen or other environmental factors. The sediment overlaying the oyster bed can also provide the pressure and minerals needed for fossilization to occur.

Which of the Following Circumstances Is Most Likely to Preserve