According to the theory of continental drift, the world was made up of a single continent through most of geologic time. … According to the generally accepted plate-tectonics theory, scientists
believe that Earth’s surface is broken into a number of shifting slabs or plates, which average about 50 miles in thickness
.
Continental drift
believes that the continents moved because the magnetism of the sea floor
. Plate tectonics believes that the lithosphere & the asthenosphere
How important is the continental drift theory to the formation of the plate tectonics theory?
Continental drift, large-scale horizontal movements of continents relative to one another and to the ocean basins during one or more episodes of geologic time. This concept was an
important precursor
to the development of the theory of plate tectonics, which incorporates it.
What are the 5 evidences of continental drift theory?
The evidence for continental drift included
the fit of the continents; the distribution of ancient fossils, rocks, and mountain ranges; and the locations of ancient climatic zones
.
What are the 3 theories of plate tectonics?
The three types of plate boundaries are
divergent, convergent, and transform
. They are described in the following three concepts. Most geological activity takes place at plate boundaries.
What are the 4 evidences of continental drift theory?
They based their idea of continental drift on several lines of evidence:
fit of the continents, paleoclimate indicators, truncated geologic features, and fossils
.
What is the main point of continental drift theory?
Continental drift was a theory that
explained how continents shift position on Earth’s surface
. Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener
What are the limitations of continental drift theory?
Wegener failed to explain why the drift began only in Mesozoic era and not before.
The theory doesn’t consider oceans
. Proofs heavily depend on assumptions that are generalistic. Forces like buoyancy, tidal currents and gravity are too weak to be able to move continents.
What are the two theories of plate tectonics?
The plates are moved around on Earth’s surface by seafloor spreading
. Convection in the mantle drives seafloor spreading. Oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges. The crust moves outward from the ridge over time.
Which best describes the theory of plate tectonics?
The theory of plate tectonics states that
the Earth’s solid outer crust, the lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the
asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of the mantle. Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread apart, and interact at boundaries all over the planet.
What are the 2 theories behind why tectonic plates move?
Why do plates move? One explanation for plate movements is
slab pull
. Plates are extremely heavy so gravity acts upon them, pulling them apart. Alternatively, as shown in the diagram, convection currents under the Earth’s crust transfer heat, which rises through the surface and cools back down in a circular motion.
Why was the theory of continental drift rejected?
This idea was quickly rejected by the scientific community primarily
because the actual forces generated by the rotation of the earth were calculated to be insufficient to move continents
.
What are the 6 pieces of evidence for the theory of continental drift?
What are six pieces of evidence for the continental drift theory?
Reptile Fossils
– dinosaurs couldn’t have swam across a vast ocean. Plant Fossils- all these regions were once connected and had similar climates. Tropical plants found in Arctic- tropical plants can’t grow in cold climates.
What does Pangaea mean in Greek?
Pangea was surrounded by a global ocean called Panthalassa, and it was fully assembled by the Early Permian Epoch (some 299 million to 273 million years ago). … Its name is derived from the Greek pangaia, meaning
“all the Earth
.”
Who was responsible for the theory of continental drift?
Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologists thought continents moved over time. Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics. The theory of continental drift is most associated with the
scientist Alfred Wegener
Who is the father of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
