Assertion : Fossils are the remains of dead organisms.
Reason : It is helpful in study of evolution.
Both assertion and reason are true, but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion
Fossils are remains or traces of hard parts of ancient life-forms found in rocks preserved in the Earth’s crust. Fossils include the whole body of the extinct organism, inorganic remains of plants and animals, remains of bones or even moulds, casts and footprints embedded in stratified rocks. Hence the statement of assertion is true.
The study of fossils comes under the branch of science called Paleontology. The excavation of fossils reveals the sedimentary layers which further indicates the geological period in which the organism existed. Evidence for early forms of life comes from fossils. By studying fossils, scientists can learn about the extent of the changes that happened to the organisms during the course of development.
For example, Archaeopteryx is considered to be the transitional species between reptiles and birds. This is due to the fact that it was found to exhibit the features of both these classes. The reptilian characters included the presence of jaws with teeth and free caudal vertebrae (that make the tail bone) while the avian characters included the presence of wings and feathers. Hence the statement of reason is true.