Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
In the 1820s, what did scientists commonly believe dinosaurs actually were?
A
Primitive birds that could not fly
B
Large extinct reptiles similar to modern lizards
C
Giant amphibians that lived in water
D
Ancient mammals related to elephants
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the historical context of the 1820s. During this time, paleontology was a developing field, and scientists were beginning to study fossils systematically.
Step 2: Recognize that the term 'dinosaur' was not yet coined in the 1820s. The word 'dinosaur' was introduced by Sir Richard Owen in 1842, so scientists in the 1820s referred to these fossils differently.
Step 3: Consider the scientific knowledge of the time. Fossils of large extinct creatures were often compared to modern animals that scientists were familiar with, such as reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.
Step 4: Note that early scientists often classified these fossils as large extinct reptiles, similar to modern lizards, based on their skeletal structure and other physical characteristics.
Step 5: Conclude that the prevailing belief in the 1820s was that these creatures were large extinct reptiles, as this interpretation aligned with the limited understanding of evolutionary biology and comparative anatomy at the time.