Which statement best describes why most individual organisms never fossilized?(1 point)
Responses
Only organisms with hard parts fossilize.
Only organisms with hard parts fossilize.
Chemicals that fossilize organisms are rare.
Chemicals that fossilize organisms are rare.
Only organisms that lived in the ocean fossilize.
Only organisms that lived in the ocean fossilize.
Conditions for fossilization are rare.
Conditions for fossilization are rare.
Only organisms with hard parts fossilize.
Conditions for fossilization are rare.
The correct answer is: Conditions for fossilization are rare.
To understand why most individual organisms never fossilize, we need to consider the process of fossilization. Fossilization happens when the remains or traces of an organism are preserved in rocks or minerals over a long period of time. However, this process is not common and requires specific conditions to occur.
First, the organism needs to be buried rapidly after death. Otherwise, it may decompose or get destroyed by scavengers and weathering processes. Burial allows the remains to be protected from these external factors.
Second, the burial must take place in an environment where there is low oxygen. Oxygen can accelerate the decay of organic material, making fossilization less likely. So, an environment with limited oxygen, such as a waterlogged or sediment-rich area, is more conducive for fossilization.
Third, there needs to be a combination of pressure and time to transform the organic material into a fossil. This typically occurs when layers of sediment accumulate above the buried remains, which exerts pressure on the underlying layers. Over millions of years, this pressure can transform the remains into a fossil.
Lastly, the geological processes must align in such a way that the fossils become exposed at the surface again. This can happen through erosion, uplift, or geological movements that bring the fossil-bearing rocks to the surface.
Given these specific requirements, it becomes clear that conditions for fossilization are indeed rare. Only a small fraction of organisms that have ever lived on Earth have become fossilized. Therefore, the statement "Conditions for fossilization are rare" best describes why most individual organisms never fossilize.