Asteroid Impact and Its Effects

The video explains how a 6-mile-wide asteroid, despite being tiny compared to Earth, could cause massive destruction. Traveling at nearly 50,000 mph, its impact would release energy equivalent to 100 million nuclear bombs. The resulting superheated debris would orbit Earth and eventually fall back, potentially blocking sunlight for years. This supports the hypothesis that such an event led to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

How wide was the asteroid that impacted Earth?

• 10 miles

• 6 miles

• 3 miles

• 12 miles

At what speed did the asteroid hit Earth?

• 35,000 mph

• 20,000 mph

• 50,000 mph

• 70,000 mph

The energy released by the asteroid impact was equivalent to how many nuclear bombs?

• 10 million

• 50 million

• 200 million

• 100 million

What was one of the major consequences of the asteroid impact?

• Blocking out the Sun

• Creation of new species

• Formation of new continents

• Increase in Earth's temperature

What hypothesis did the Alvarez's propose regarding the extinction of dinosaurs?

• Dinosaurs migrated to another planet

• The asteroid impact blocked sunlight

• A virus wiped out the dinosaurs

• Dinosaurs evolved into birds