The Day the Mesozoic Died Movie Quiz

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Question #1

The entire scientific community accepted the asteroid hypothesis after Dr. Alvarez published his paper showing high iridium levels at the K-T boundary.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #2

Which of the following pieces of evidence prompted researchers to abandon the hypothesis that a supernova caused the high levels of iridium in the K-T layer?

A Coarse sediment mixed with uniform Cretaceous mud in Texas

B High levels of iridium in the K-T boundary layer

C Lack of an isotope of plutonium in the K-T boundary layer

D Differences in foraminifera fossils above and below the K-T boundary layer

Question #3

What did Dr. Carroll mean at the end of the film when he said, “It is not always the survival of the fittest; sometimes it is the survival of the luckiest?”

A Mammals were lucky because the ejecta from the impact hit dinosaurs not smaller mammals.

B Mammals were not necessarily more fit than dinosaurs; they just happened to occupy ecological niches that allowed some species to survive harsh, post-impact conditions.

C Mammals were lucky enough to inhabit continents far away from the impact site.

Question #4

How could an asteroid impact kill off so many different species?

A Debris from the impact orbiting around the Earth shields sunlight, halting photosynthesis; Tsunamis, landslides, and earthquakes caused by the impact killed organisms near the site of impact, and; The impact was so extreme that life at ground zero was vaporized are all possible impacts

B Both Debris from the impact orbiting around the Earth shields sunlight, halting photosynthesis and; The impact was so extreme that life at ground zero was vaporized are possible impacts

C The impact was so extreme that life at ground zero was vaporized.

D Tsunamis, landslides, and earthquakes caused by the impact killed organisms near the site of impact.

E Debris from the impact orbiting around the Earth shields sunlight, halting photosynthesis.

Question #5

What are the differences scientists saw in the foraminifera found in rock layers above (after) and below (before) the K-T boundary?

A Below the K-T boundary, foraminifera fossils were smaller and less diverse.

B Below the K-T boundary, foraminifera fossils were larger and more diverse.

C There was no change above and below the K-T boundary.

Question #6

If the rocks outside of Gubbio, Italy used to be at the bottom of an ocean, how are they now part of a mountain?

A the rocks were underwater due to a massive flood

B Tectonic forces uplifted the land.