Final answer:
The condition that makes it more likely for animal remains to become fossils is burial in sediment since it protects the remains from decomposing factors and slows down or prevents decay.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conditions likely to help preserve animal remains and make it more likely for them to become fossils are b. Burial in sediment.
- When animal remains are rapidly buried in sediment, it protects them from external factors like scavengers, decomposition, and weathering. Sediments can cut off oxygen supply, which is necessary for many bacteria responsible for decomposition to thrive. This slows down or stops the decomposition process.
- Environments such as bogs, tar pits, or ice can also preserve remains, as they prevent bacteria and scavengers from accessing the remains. Conditions in bogs, for example, are acidic and low in oxygen, which are not conducive to bacteria, and thus prevent decay.
- Preservation is enhanced in oxygen-poor environments because the lack of oxygen inhibits the growth of organisms that promote decay. Therefore, oxygen-free conditions are ideal for the preservation of soft tissues, which is a rare occurrence. The presence of oxygen and scavengers would lead to rapid decomposition and a decrease in the likelihood of fossilization.