Question 1

True or false: All life on Krakatoa was completely wiped out and never returned.

Accepted Answer

False. Life gradually returned within decades, starting with spiders and plants, and the island now hosts a diverse ecosystem.

Question 2

True or false: The eruption caused a global temperature drop of about 1.2°C for five years.

Accepted Answer

False. The drop was about 1.2°F (0.6°C), not 1.2°C, and the cooling effect lasted only 2–3 years, not five. The figure 1.2°C is a common confusion with Fahrenheit.

Question 3

True or false: The eruption turned the sky green for weeks due to sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere.

Accepted Answer

False. It caused red and orange sunsets, not green skies; green skies are more often linked to severe storms.

Question 4

True or false: Krakatoa’s eruption was the largest volcanic explosion in recorded history.

Accepted Answer

False. The 1815 Tambora eruption was far larger, ejecting over 10 times more material than Krakatoa.

Question 5

True or false: Krakatoa’s eruption created a new island, Anak Krakatau, which emerged in 1927.

Accepted Answer

True. Anak Krakatau, or 'Child of Krakatoa,' rose from the caldera decades later and is still active today.

Question 6

True or false: The 1883 Krakatoa eruption was heard nearly 3,000 miles away on Rodrigues Island.

Accepted Answer

True. The eruption produced one of the loudest sounds in recorded history, clearly heard on Rodrigues Island, nearly 3,000 miles (about 4,800 km) away.

Question 7

True or false: The 1883 Krakatoa eruption produced a pressure wave that circled the Earth seven times.

Accepted Answer

True. The massive explosion created an atmospheric pressure wave that traveled around the globe seven times, recorded by barometers worldwide.

Question 8

True or false: The eruption killed over 36,000 people, mostly from lava flows.

Accepted Answer

False. Most deaths were from tsunamis, not lava; the waves reached 40 meters high and devastated coastal villages.

1883 Krakatoa eruption Trivia Questions