Cretaceous–Paleogene Extinction Event quiz

More questions about Cretaceous–Paleogene Extinction Event

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1. 1 Easy

   Which animal group died out in the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction?

   Answer: Dinosaurs

   Why: While all non-avian dinosaurs perished, avian dinosaurs survived and evolved into modern birds.

2. 2 Medium

   Which marine reptiles, dominant in Cretaceous seas, went entirely extinct?

   Answer: Mosasaurs

   Why: They only took the top predator role in the last 20 million years of the Cretaceous, once ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs had gone.

3. 3 Hard

   What structural change in mineral grains proves a high-pressure impact?

   Answer: Shocked quartz

   Why: The tiny lamellae inside the grains need pressures above 2 gigapascals, which only impacts and nuclear blasts can deliver.

4. 4 Easy

   What rock layer marks the dinosaur extinction event?

   Answer: K-Pg boundary

   Why: The layer used to be called the K-T boundary, until geologists retired the term Tertiary in favour of Paleogene.

5. 5 Medium

   What cold climate phase followed the initial heat from the asteroid?

   Answer: Impact winter

   Why: Models put the chill at up to 25 degrees Celsius, lasting years, before a long carbon dioxide driven warming took over.

6. 6 Hard

   What caused global wildfires immediately after the asteroid impact?

   Answer: Thermal radiation

   Why: For about half an hour the sky glowed like an oven set to broil, delivering up to 15 kilowatts per square metre at ground level.