Famous Eruptions & Pangaea

Question 1

When the volcano on the fictional island of Kiva erupted, it sent a huge cloud of ash and sulfur gases high into the atmosphere. Which statement best explains how that cloud caused a short‑term drop in world temperatures?

Accepted Answer

The ash and sulfur gases rose into the upper atmosphere, turned into tiny particles that reflected sunlight back into space, so less heat reached the Earth’s surface and the planet cooled.

Answer

The ash settled on the ocean surface, making the water darker; the darker water absorbed more sunlight, which warmed the oceans and caused the rest of the world to become cooler.

Answer

The sulfur gases acted like a blanket, trapping more heat close to Earth, but the ash blocked the sun’s rays, so the two effects cancelled out and the temperature stayed the same.

Answer

The ash and gases caused extra rain everywhere, and the cooling effect of the rain made the global temperature drop.

Question 2

Scientists discovered the same ancient fern fossil in both Antarctica and India. Which statement best explains how the same fossil can be found on these continents today?

Accepted Answer

Antarctica and India were once joined together in a single supercontinent that later split apart.

Answer

The fern’s tiny spores floated across the oceans on drifting mats of plant material.

Answer

People in ancient times carried the fossils to different continents as souvenirs.

Answer

The fern could grow in any climate, so it appeared on every continent at the same time.

Question 3

Scientists have uncovered fossils of the same extinct fern species in rock layers that are about 180 million years old in what is now western Canada and in rock layers of the same age in present‑day Brazil. Which explanation best shows why this finding supports the idea that the continents were once joined in a supercontinent and have slowly moved apart over millions of years?

Accepted Answer

The continents were joined 180 million years ago, so the fern grew on one big landmass that later split apart.

Answer

The fern’s spores floated across the ocean after the continents had already separated.

Answer

People in ancient times moved fern pieces between continents and they fossilized there.

Answer

A recent volcano blew the fern fossils from one place to the other.

Try three questions

When the volcano on the fictional island of Kiva erupted, it sent a huge cloud of ash and sulfur gases high into the atmosphere. Which statement best explains how that cloud caused a short‑term drop in world temperatures?

Scientists discovered the same ancient fern fossil in both Antarctica and India. Which statement best explains how the same fossil can be found on these continents today?

Keep going on this shelf