Dinosaurs Are Dandy 2! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hypothesis

Because dinosaurs lived during prehistoric times, there are no written records that scientists can use to learn more about them. All they can do is study what remains. In the case of dinosaurs they study fossils of bones, eggs, and even their feces, to come up with good ideas (hypotheses) about how they lived, what they looked like, and what brought about their demise. Everyone can see things differently, of course, and that is why there are different ideas about when the dinosaurs lived.

Answer: Era

There have been many eras in history - eras that designate geologic periods, as well as cultural development, and historical events, among others. For example, during the Stone Age stone tools and weapons were developed. As humans advanced culturally the weapons became more precise and were better made. Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era, also called the Age of Reptiles, which is divided into three periods, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous, from 252-66 million years ago.

At the end of the previous era, called the Paleozoic Era, there was a mass extinction of most living organisms. During the Mesozoic Era the climate became warmer and new organisms began to develop.

The super continent called Pangaea began to break apart. And, of course, dinosaurs began to roam the earth.

Answer: Paleontology

Paleontologists have a wide range of organisms they study - so their work does not just include dinosaurs - but they do study plants and animals that existed millions of years ago. That means that they have to look for fossils - the remains of those organisms that have turned to stone.

It's kind of exciting work, but a paleontologist has to be pretty smart! Not only do they have to figure out how to find fossils to study, but they also have to figure out what it is exactly they have found once they make a discovery. So - they spend time in school studying science, especially biology, botany, physics, and earth science.

It's also a good idea to gain some field experience working at a site where dinosaur remains have been found. Jack Horner, a paleontologist from the United States, not only discovered a dinosaur he named Maiasaura, but he also found evidence that dinosaurs cared for their young.

Answer: Scavenger

Many animals that are thriving today, such as vultures and hyenas, will happily eat food that has been killed by another, so it makes sense that a dinosaur would also be a scavenger. Fossils were found in Inner Mongolia in 2008 which seem to prove this.

The bones of an adult Protoceratops that was already decomposing show marks that match the teeth of a Velociraptor. In fact, some Velociraptor teeth were also found on site! Remains at a site found in Colorado seem to prove that the Allosaurus also was a scavenger who fed on the dead of his own species.

Answer: Meteorite

Matter that comes from space, like from a comet or asteroid, is called a meteoroid. If a meteoroid makes it all the way through space and hits the ground, it becomes a meteorite. So, how do meteors relate to dinosaurs? Scientists today believe that a meteor strike of ginormous proportions is what may have caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.

It would have burned all of the plants that the herbivore dinosaurs ate, and caused a massive tsunami that drowned many animals. The smoke from the burning plants would have blocked all sunlight.

In just a matter of weeks all dinosaurs would have perished.

Answer: Carnivore

There are lots of modern day animals that are carnivores, including tigers, cheetahs, and sea lions! The largest land carnivore, the polar bear, eats seals, and the blue whale, the largest carnivore on earth, eats tiny organisms called krill. While the vast majority of dinosaurs ate plants, there were some that were carnivores.

They had long, very sharp teeth that enabled them to eat the tough meat of early mammals, lizards, and even fellow dinosaurs! The largest carnivorous dinosaur that has been found so far is the Spinosaurus, who lived in North Africa.

Answer: Horn

Horns are made of bones that are covered with proteins like keratin. They are permanent and are often curved a bit. Scientists believe that dinosaur horns, as with other animals alive today that have horns, were used to attract mates and fight for them if necessary. Dinosaurs that had horns are classified in the ceratopsian group. Among the members of the group, probably the best known is the Triceratops, a plant eater who had not one, not two, but three horns on his skull - hence his name!

Answer: Scales

Since we know that dinosaurs are considered to be reptiles and many reptiles have scales, it is probably safe to assume that dinosaurs had scales too! But this is a topic that has long been debated, as some scientists believe that dinosaurs may have had feathers.

As it turns out, the fossil evidence that has been uncovered indicates that some had scales and some had feathers. One fossil discovery in 2014 in Siberia called Kulindadromeus suggests that some may have even had both! So who was feathered? Archaeopteryx, an ancestor to modern day birds is believed to have had feathers. And who was scaled? There are few fossils of the skin of a T. rex in existence, but scientists believe they show that he sported scales.

Answer: Forelimbs

Of course, Tyrannosaurus rex quickly comes to mind as a dinosaur that had forelimbs. In comparison to the rest of his body, the forelimbs of the T. rex were tiny and look somewhat ridiculous. Scientists have been discussing the possible use of forelimbs for years. Were they used for holding prey? Helping the dinosaur up if he lay on the ground? Because there were claws at the end of their forelimbs, they were probably pretty formidable weapons and allowed T. rex to a rather lethal slasher!

Answer: Dig

Scientists typically study the geologic development of rocks in an area, and especially look for sedimentary rock that dates to the Age of Reptiles when dinosaurs lived. In the United States there are many working sites where dinosaur fossils have been found, and, believe it or not, some even let visitors help! Try the Wyoming Dinosaur Center near Yellowstone if you would like to "Dig for a Day"! If you want to leave the country to see a dinosaur dig, you may want to travel to Zigong, China. The city is known for having the largest number of dinosaur fossils in the world, and has an open-air excavation. Or visit the Jurassic Coast in the UK which also boasts numerous discoveries of dinosaur fossils!