Preserved remains of once-living organisms are called what?

• A. Atmosphere
• B. Absolute dating
• C. Fossils
• D. Law of Superposition

Answer: (C)

Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of once-living organisms. They can be actual bones, teeth, shells, or imprints of leaves and shells, as well as tracks or other signs that life existed in a place. Preservation happens in various ways: minerals can replace the original material to turn it into rock, or organisms can be trapped in substances like amber, tar, or ice that protect them from decay. Fossils let scientists study ancient life, evolution, and past environments.

Atmosphere is the layer of gases surrounding Earth, which has nothing to do with preserved organisms. Absolute dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks or fossils, not the preserved remains themselves. The Law of Superposition is a dating principle about the order of rock layers—older layers are below younger ones—rather than describing what fossils are.