The Most Famous and Well-Studied Mass Extinction Occurred at the End

Multiple Choice

The most famous and well-studied mass extinction occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period (65 million years ago) , at which time the dinosaurs and a variety of other terrestrial and aquatic organisms went extinct. Recent findings have supported the hypothesis that this extinction event was triggered when a large asteroid slammed into Earth. Which of the following could cause a global mass extinction following an asteroid strike? (Check all that apply)

A) The impact triggered global forest fires that obscured the sun.
B) The asteroid killed animals it hit upon impact.
C) The asteroid was very hot when it entered the atmosphere and heated up the planet.
D) The asteroid created a massive dust cloud that obscured the sun.