Respuesta :
Factors b,d,e,g are favorable to fossil formation and preservation.
Hard bodies are more easily preserved; rivers and oceans deposit muds that keep bodies intact for long times after death; large population and long existence provide more opportunity for fossils to form; and a low oxygen content impedes decay and inhibits predators.
Factors a,c,f,h are unfavorable to fossil formation and preservation.
Thus, Organism E with 4 positive factors is number 1 -- has the top chance of forming a fossil.
Organism D with 4 negative factors would be number 5 -- has very little chance of forming fossils.
Of the other 3, all have soft bodies, so are "disadvantaged" compared to E...but
Organism A has no OTHER disadvantages, so is probably number 2 (second best fossil chance).
Organism C has ALMOST everything going against it -- despite its large population and long existence, it has no other positive factors -- so I'd put it at number 4 (second worst).
To summarize, my rankings are
1. E, 2. A, 3. B, 4. C, 5. D
Hard bodies are more easily preserved; rivers and oceans deposit muds that keep bodies intact for long times after death; large population and long existence provide more opportunity for fossils to form; and a low oxygen content impedes decay and inhibits predators.
Factors a,c,f,h are unfavorable to fossil formation and preservation.
Thus, Organism E with 4 positive factors is number 1 -- has the top chance of forming a fossil.
Organism D with 4 negative factors would be number 5 -- has very little chance of forming fossils.
Of the other 3, all have soft bodies, so are "disadvantaged" compared to E...but
Organism A has no OTHER disadvantages, so is probably number 2 (second best fossil chance).
Organism C has ALMOST everything going against it -- despite its large population and long existence, it has no other positive factors -- so I'd put it at number 4 (second worst).
To summarize, my rankings are
1. E, 2. A, 3. B, 4. C, 5. D