Meteor Crater Impact and Significance

Meteor Crater, nearly a mile wide and over 500 feet deep, was long thought to be volcanic. In the 1960s, it was confirmed to be the result of an asteroid impact 50,000 years ago, with an energy equivalent to 10 megatons of TNT. It is the first confirmed geologic scar from an outer space collision, with many more identified since. Arizona's Meteor Crater remains one of the most spectacular.

What was the initial belief about the origin of the Meteor Crater?

• It was formed by a glacier.

• It was a result of an earthquake.

• It was created by a meteor shower.

• It was formed by a volcanic eruption.

How long ago did the asteroid impact that created the Meteor Crater occur?

• 100,000 years ago

• 50,000 years ago

• 10,000 years ago

• 1 million years ago

What was the energy release of the asteroid impact that formed the Meteor Crater?

• 10 megatons

• 5 megatons

• 1 megaton

• 20 megatons

What makes the Meteor Crater in Arizona particularly notable?

• It is the first confirmed crater from an outer space collision.

• It is the largest crater on Earth.

• It is the deepest crater in the world.

• It is the most recent crater formed.

How does the Meteor Crater compare to other craters identified since its discovery?

• It is one of the smallest.

• It is less significant than most.

• It remains one of the most spectacular.

• It is the only crater in the United States.