Fossilization

Chain of Events

Animal dies and falls into swamp Animal is covered by silt or mud Fine mud blocks out oxygen for decomposing bacteria Decomposition is very slow, taking thousands of years Fossil forms

For a fossil to be created, the body should be near a swamp, lake… First an animal dies and sinks to the bottom of the lake. Then layers of silt and/or mud start to cover the body. Soon the whole body will get completely covered and the mud will block oxygen from entering or reaching the body. The body cannot be decomposed because no bacteria can reach the body. That is because bacteria survives only where there is oxygen. The body becomes a fossil. After many years of weathering and erosion, the fossil will reach the surface and paleontologists will examine it.