Geological “fit” evidence is the matching of large-scale geological features on different continents. The coastlines of South America and West Africa seem to match up. Scientists have found that rocks on the east coast of South America are the same as rocks found on the west coast of Africa.
Which two continents fit together almost perfectly?
The shapes of continents fit together like a puzzle. Just look at the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa —it’s almost a perfect fit! Identical rocks have been found on different continents. These rocks formed millions of years ago, before the continents separated.
Which 2 continents have the best fit of the coastlines?
Two continents have the most obvious fit of the coastlines are the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa , because the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa seem to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
Where is the best fit of the continents?
The best fit is found to be at the 500 fm. contour which lies on the steep part of the continental edge. The root-mean-square errors for fitting Africa to South America, Greenland to Europe and North America to Greenland and Europe are 30 to 90 km.
How South America and Africa fit together?
Wegener suggested that the continents were all together in the geologic past , forming the supercontinent Pangaea. By 160 million years ago, continents had begun to drift to their present locations. Today’s coastlines of South America and Africa are a match because these two continents were once joined together.
Why does Pangea not fit perfectly?
There are several reasons due to which the present shapes of the continents will not fit perfectly into a super continent. The main reason can be attributed to erosion and rise and fall of the water levels . ... this never allows the continents to remain in the shape in which they were separated from one another.
Which 2 continents have the most obvious fit of the cause?
The two continents which has the most obvious fit of the coastlines are South American and West Africa .
Why do continents look like they could fit each other?
Tectonic Activity
Wegener suggested that perhaps the rotation of the Earth caused the continents to shift towards and apart from each other. (It doesn’t.) Today, we know that the continents rest on massive slabs of rock called tectonic plates.
What are the 4 evidence of continental drift?
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 is the evidence of Pangea?
Glacial deposits, specifically till, of the same age and structure are found on many separate continents that would have been together in the continent of Pangaea. Fossil evidence for Pangaea includes the presence of similar and identical species on continents that are now great distances apart .
Did the continents used to be connected?
This giant landmass known as a supercontinent was called Pangea . The word Pangaea means “All Lands”, this describes the way all the continents were joined up together. Pangea existed 240 million years ago and about 200 millions years ago it began to break apart.
What type of evidence did we use to fit these continent pieces together?
In the early part of the 20th century, scientists began to put together evidence that the continents could move around on Earth’s surface . 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.
Are continents floating?
The continents do not float on a sea of molten rock . ... Under the continents is a layer of solid rock known as the upper mantle or asthenosphere. Though solid, this layer is weak and ductile enough to slowly flow under heat convection, causing the tectonic plates to move.
Why did no one believe Wegener’s theory?
The main reason that Wegener’s hypothesis was not accepted was because he suggested no mechanism for moving the continents . He thought the force of Earth’s spin was sufficient to cause continents to move, but geologists knew that rocks are too strong for this to be true.
What was Arthur Holmes theory?
Holmes primary contribution was his proposed theory that convection occurred within the Earth’s mantle , which explained the push and pull of continent plates together and apart. He also assisted scientists in oceanographic research in the 1950s, which publicized the phenomenon known as sea floor spreading.
Why did Pangea break up?
Scientists believe that Pangea broke apart for the same reason that the plates are moving today . The movement is caused by the convection currents that roll over in the upper zone of the mantle. This movement in the mantle causes the plates to move slowly across the surface of the Earth.
