What was the 4 evidence for continental drift theory?

What was the 4 evidence for 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 four pieces of evidence for continental drift quizlet?

List four pieces of evidence for Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift? Continents fit like a puzzle, climate clues, fossil clues, and rock layers or formations. What was the name of the reptile that Wegners found in both South America and Africa?

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 are the four pieces of evidence for Pangaea?

They based their idea of continental drift on several lines of evidence: fit of the continents, paleoclimate indicators, truncated geologic features, and fossils.

What types of fossils were used as evidence for Continental Drift?

Fossils of similar types of plants and animals in rocks of a similar age have been found on the shores of different continents, suggesting that the continents were once joined. For example, fossils of Mesosaurus, a freshwater reptile, have been found both in Brazil and western Africa.

What is the evidence for 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.

Who is the father of the continental drift theory?

Alfred Wegener: The Father of Continental Drift.

Why is the continental drift theory important?

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 was the 4 evidence for Continental Drift theory?

What was the 4 evidence for 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 6 pieces of evidence that support Continental Drift?

He could not identify the driving force that was able to make the continents move.

  • Fossils.
  • Continents fit like Puzzle Pieces. Matching fossils preserved in rocks of the same age but found on different continents. Ex.
  • Matching Rocks. Puzzle – like fit of continental shelves. Ex.
  • Mountain Ranges.
  • Glacier Striations.
  • Coal Beds.

How does fossil evidence support the theory of plate tectonics?

Evidence from fossils, glaciers, and complementary coastlines helps reveal how the plates once fit together. Fossils tell us when and where plants and animals once existed. This distribution of fossils led to theories that the southern continents were once joined in a supercontinent called Gondwana.

What are two pieces of evidence for seafloor spreading?

Several types of evidence from the oceans supported Hess’s theory of sea-floor spreading-evidence from molten material, magnetic stripes, and drilling samples. This evidence also led sci- entists to look again at Wegener’s theory of continental drift.

What was the most important piece of evidence that supported the continental drift theory?

Evidence for continental drift Wegener knew that fossil plants and animals such as mesosaurs, a freshwater reptile found only South America and Africa during the Permian period, could be found on many continents. He also matched up rocks on either side of the Atlantic Ocean like puzzle pieces.

What are 4 pieces of evidence for seafloor spreading?

Harry Hess’s hypothesis about seafloor spreading had collected several pieces of evidence to support the theory. This evidence was from the investigations of the molten material, seafloor drilling, radiometric age dating and fossil ages, and the magnetic stripes.

What are 3 pieces of evidence that support seafloor spreading?

Several types of evidence from the oceans supported Hess’s theory of sea-floor spreading-evidence from molten material, magnetic stripes, and drilling samples.

What evidence supports the theory of continental drift?

Evidence of Continental Drift. Some of the evidence supporting the continental drift of the tectonic plates include the presence of similar animals and plant fossils on the shores of various continents, which suggest that they were once joined. Fossils of a freshwater reptile known as Mesosaurus was found both in South Africa and Brazil.

What causes continental drift?

Causes of Continental Drift. The causes of continental drift are perfectly explained by the plate tectonic theory. The earth’s outer shell is composed of plates that move a little bit every year. Heat coming from the interior of the earth triggers this movement to occur through convection currents inside the mantle.

What is an example of continental drift?

The pattern of volcanic activity, mountain building (orogeny) and earthquakes is explained by continental drift. The existence of identical rocks widely apart supports the theory. Examples (there are hundreds): Fossils of the fern Glossopteris are found in rocks from Australia, South America, Antarctica, India, Africa and Madagascar.

What is the Geological evidence for continental drift?

Evidence in Support of the Continental Drift

  • The Matching of Continents (Jig-Saw-Flt) The shorelines of Africa and South America facing each other have an extraordinary and unmistakable match.
  • Rocks of Same Age Across the Oceans.
  • Placer Deposits.