What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs A) meteor B) poisonous gasses C) ice age D) something else Please explain why you think your answer is correct

The leading scientific consensus is that the extinction of the dinosaurs, which occurred around 66 million years ago, was primarily caused by a massive asteroid impact. Therefore, the correct answer is A) meteor.

This event is often referred to as the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event. The impact of a large asteroid, commonly associated with the Chicxulub crater in present-day Mexico, led to widespread environmental changes with catastrophic consequences. The impact is believed to have caused:

1. Massive Fires: The impact would have generated intense heat and firestorms, leading to widespread wildfires.
2. Dust and Debris: The impact would have ejected an enormous amount of dust, debris, and vaporized rock into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight.
3. Impact Winter: The atmospheric debris would have caused a significant drop in temperatures worldwide, leading to a period of "impact winter."
4. Climate Disruption: The combination of fires, darkness, and cooling would have disrupted ecosystems and food chains, affecting both plant and animal life.