Asked by justin

A scientist finds a fossil that she thinks might make a good index fossil.

Which characteristic does this fossil most likely have?

It is the remains of an organism still found alive today.
It is the remains of an organism that is found in abundance nearby.
It is the only fossil for this type of organism that has ever been found.
It is the remains of an organism that lived in a narrow geographic area.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
It is the remains of an organism that is found in abundance nearby.

Index fossils should be abundant and easily recognized (and ideally widespread and limited to a short time interval). The other choices make them poor index fossils (extant organisms persist too long, a single specimen or a narrow geographic range are not useful).