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Mass Extinctions Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz that people of all ages will know something about. It deals mainly with the extinction of the dinosaurs, but includes a few other questions on extinction. Have fun, and good luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by Cooperphysics. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Cooperphysics

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
77,846

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
4676

Last 3 plays: robbonz (8/10), cdecrj (9/10), rahonavis (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What happens to an animal when it becomes extinct? Hint

it becomes the dominant animal on Earth

it starts to stink

it is killed off completely

it multiplies in number

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is a mass extinction? Hint

when animals become smarter than humans

the mass release of methane gas

the entire killing of multiple species

the mass boost in the population of a species

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Question 3 of 10

3. What dominant land animals died in the K-T extinction? Hint

mosasaurs

dinosaurs

mammals

birds

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Question 4 of 10

4. Only mammals survived the K-T Extinction.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. When did the K-T Extinction occur? Hint

last century

before the Permian Era

during the Carboniferous Era

at the end of the Cretaceous Period

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Question 6 of 10

6. What do most scientists believe was the cause of the K-T Extinction? Hint

mass volcanic eruptions

a comet impact

drastic climate changes

an asteroid impact

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Question 7 of 10

7. Who proposed the theory on the cause of the K-T Extinction? Hint

Bob Bakker

Alan Grant

Albert Einstein

Luis Alvarez

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Question 8 of 10

8. What extinction supposedly gave way to the rise of the Age of Dinosaurs? Hint

Permian Extinction

Cambrian Extinction

K-T Extinction

Silurian Extinction

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Question 9 of 10

9. Extinction is still occurring today.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Time for a tough one. What fish, supposedly extinct for over 100 million years, was caught off the African coast in the Indian Ocean in the 1930s?

Answer: (One Word)

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Nov 17 2024 : robbonz: 8/10
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Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What happens to an animal when it becomes extinct?

Answer: it is killed off completely

Over 99 percent of all animals that existed on Earth are now extinct. A few recent examples of extinction are the dodo bird and the passenger pigeon.

2. What is a mass extinction?

Answer: the entire killing of multiple species

Only a few mass extinctions have occurred since the beginning of time.

3. What dominant land animals died in the K-T extinction?

Answer: dinosaurs

4. Only mammals survived the K-T Extinction.

Answer: False

Other animals survived this catastrophe, like birds, fish, insects, and amphibians, along with species of reptiles.

5. When did the K-T Extinction occur?

Answer: at the end of the Cretaceous Period

Due to the number of periods that start with a 'C,' the Cretaceous was given a 'K' and the Tertiary was given a 'T.'

6. What do most scientists believe was the cause of the K-T Extinction?

Answer: an asteroid impact

Most scientists believe in this theory. They believe an asteroid no less than 6 miles in diameter struck the Earth (most likely in the Yucatan Peninsula) with an incredibly powerful punch. It would have sent a cloud of dust into the stratosphere, blocking out all the sunlight for months.

This would supposedly cause the whole food chain to crash, first with the plants and then with more complex organisms. However, new evidence has arisen that points not to dust as the culprit, but to huge amounts of sulfur vaporizing into the atmosphere.

This would cause acid rain to shower the Earth, along with the fact that liquids block out sunlight much more efficiently than dust.

7. Who proposed the theory on the cause of the K-T Extinction?

Answer: Luis Alvarez

In 1980, he put his theory together, with the help of his son Walter (thanks Jazzkickazz), Frank Asaro, and Helen Michel, and proposed it to the scientific community, causing shockwaves to travel around the world (not literally of course).

8. What extinction supposedly gave way to the rise of the Age of Dinosaurs?

Answer: Permian Extinction

Yes, it was this extinction that made the 'Age of Reptiles' possible.

9. Extinction is still occurring today.

Answer: True

Yes, with the deforestation of the rain forest, many species, even unknown species, are disappearing each year.

10. Time for a tough one. What fish, supposedly extinct for over 100 million years, was caught off the African coast in the Indian Ocean in the 1930s?

Answer: Coelacanth

Interestingly enough, this story is true. I guess we don't know as much as we think we do about extinction.

Source: Author Cooperphysics

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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