Question

The meteorite impact explanation predicts ______________.

a. a sudden extinction
b. a gradual extinction
c. a selective extinction
d. no extinction

Answer 1

The meteorite impact explanation predicts a sudden extinction, particularly evidenced at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. It resulted in abrupt environmental changes and a sharp decline in biodiversity due to the blocked sunlight and subsequent collapse of food chains.

Step-by-step explanation:

The meteorite impact explanation predicts a sudden extinction. This sudden mass extinction event is associated with the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary, about 66 million years ago, when a large meteorite struck Earth, leading to significant and abrupt environmental changes. Such an impact caused immediate effects, like the generation of a heat pulse and widespread wildfires, followed by longer-term effects including blocked sunlight due to debris in the atmosphere, which led to the collapse of food chains.

This catastrophic event is well-supported by the fossil record, which shows a sharp decline in biodiversity, including the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, and the rise of ferns and smaller animals that were better suited to the new conditions. These observations align with the theory put forth by distinguished paleontologists, indicating that the ability to survive such random global catastrophes was essential for the continuity of life beyond just adapting to gradual environmental changes.

Answer 2

The meteorite impact explanation specifically predicts a sudden extinction event due to its immediate catastrophic effects on the ecosystem and environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The meteorite impact explanation predicts a sudden extinction. This hypothesis is tied to the event that caused the massive extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period which is widely believed to have been the result of a catastrophic meteorite impact.

Such an impact would have sent shockwaves through the ecosystem leading to immediate and devastating effects, including an atmospheric debris cloud blocking the sun severe drops in temperature and ultimately the extinction of many species, including the non-avian dinosaurs. This event is a classic example of how external, sudden forces can lead to a mass extinction altering the course of life on Earth almost instantaneously.