Question

A scientist has collected fossils from different rock layers. The fossils are from different organisms, but they share some common characteristics. The scientist concludes they are related. Which fossil is most likely to represent the oldest ancestor?

a. the fossil from the middle rock layer
b. the fossil from the uppermost rock c. layer the fossil from the deepest rock layer​

Answer 1

Answer: C. Layer of fossil from the deepest rock layer.

Explanation: Fossils that are at the bottom are from older periods than fossils from the in-between or top layers.

Answer 2

The fossil from the deepest rock layer is most likely to represent the oldest ancestor. This is because the deeper the rock layer, the older it is, as sediment accumulates over time. Therefore, the fossil found in the deepest rock layer is likely the oldest, and therefore closer to the common ancestor of the related organisms. The fossils found in higher, more recent rock layers would be younger and more evolved, and may not necessarily represent the oldest ancestor.