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 Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics.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
How did Alfred Wegener come up with the continental drift theory?
Searching for evidence to further develop his theory of continental drift, Wegener came across a paleontological paper suggesting that a land bridge had once connected Africa with Brazil . ... Another observation favoring continental drift was the presence of evidence for continental glaciation in the Pensylvanian period.
How did the continents move over time?
Continental Drift
As the tectonic plates move, they carry the continents along as passengers. Continental drift is the term that is used to describe how continents have moved around Earth’s surface throughout Earth’s history. As a continent moves across Earth’s surface, it carries rocks and fossils with it.
What theory explains the continents shifting from one to seven?
Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth’s surface. Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why look-alike animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents.
Who was Alfred Wegener and what was his theory?
Wegener was a German meteorologist, geophysicist and polar researcher. In 1915 he published ‘The Origin of Continents and Oceans’, which outlined his theory of Continental Drift . Wegener was a member of four expeditions to Greenland.
Why was Pangea not accepted?
Despite having this geological and paleontological evidence, Wegener’s theory of continental drift was not accepted by the scientific community, because his explanation of the driving forces behind continental movement (which he said stemmed from the pulling force that created Earth’s equatorial bulge or the ...
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 .
Can Pangea happen again?
The answer is yes . Pangea wasn’t the first supercontinent to form during Earth’s 4.5-billion-year geologic history, and it won’t be the last. [What Is Plate Tectonics?] ... So, there’s no reason to think that another supercontinent won’t form in the future, Mitchell said.
What are the 4 types of plate tectonics?
There are four types of boundaries between tectonic plates that are defined by the movement of the plates: divergent and convergent boundaries, transform fault boundaries , and plate boundary zones.
What caused Pangea to 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.
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.
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.
How did the continents fit together?
The continents fit together like pieces of a puzzle. ... Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once united into a single supercontinent named Pangaea , meaning all earth in ancient Greek. He suggested that Pangaea broke up long ago and that the continents then moved to their current positions.
Why was Wegener’s theory rejected first?
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.
Why did no one believe Wegener’s theory?
The greatest problem facing Wegener was the lack of direct evidence for the movements of continents (no GPS at the time!) and no mechanism was known to be powerful enough to move entire continents.
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.
