What is the main theory that explains how the continents have moved?
The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist Alfred Wegener. In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were “drifting” across the Earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other.
What evidence suggest that continents move?
The four pieces of evidence for the continental drift include continents fitting together like a puzzle, scattering ancient fossils, rocks, mountain ranges, and the old climatic zones' locations.
How did Wegener propose the continents moved?
Wegener thought that the continents were moving through the earth's crust, like icebreakers plowing through ice sheets, and that centrifugal and tidal forces were responsible for moving the continents.
Who first proposed the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener Alfred Wegener in Greenland. Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's land masses are in constant motion. The realization that Earth's land masses move was first proposed by Alfred Wegener, which he called continental drift.
When was the continental drift theory proposed?
The first truly detailed and comprehensive theory of continental drift was proposed in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist. Bringing together a large mass of geologic and paleontological data, Wegener postulated that throughout most of geologic time there was only one continent, which he called Pangea.
Which explanation provides support for continental drift theory?
Which explanation provides support for continental drift theory? Coal fields match up across continents. What name did Wegener give to the single large landmass composed of all continents? What is the name of the theory that explains why mountain ranges in Africa and South America line up?
What discovery provided strong support for continental drift theory?
Increased knowledge about the configuration of the ocean floor and the subsequent formulation of the concepts of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics provided further support for continental drift.
When did Alfred Wegener propose his theory?
1912 In 1912 Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) noticed the same thing and proposed that the continents were once compressed into a single protocontinent which he called Pangaea (meaning "all lands"), and over time they have drifted apart into their current distribution.
Which explanation provides support for continental drift?
Wegener used fossil evidence to support his continental drift hypothesis. The fossils of these organisms are found on lands that are now far apart. Grooves and rock deposits left by ancient glaciers are found today on different continents very close to the equator.
When was continental drift proposed?
The first truly detailed and comprehensive theory of continental drift was proposed in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist. Bringing together a large mass of geologic and paleontological data, Wegener postulated that throughout most of geologic time there was only one continent, which he called Pangea.
Which explanation provides support for continental drift theory quizlet?
Which explanation provides support for continental drift theory? Coal fields match up across continents. What name did Wegener give to the single large landmass composed of all continents?
Why was Alfred Wegener’s continental drift theory not accepted immediately?
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 observations led to the proposal of continental drift?
What observations led to the proposal of continental drift? The matching coastlines of continents of opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean suggest that the continents were once joined.
What did Alfred Wegener accomplish?
Alfred Wegener, in full Alfred Lothar Wegener, (born November 1, 1880, Berlin, Germany—died November 1930, Greenland), German meteorologist and geophysicist who formulated the first complete statement of the continental drift hypothesis. The son of an orphanage director, Wegener earned a Ph.
What did Alfred Wegener discover?
Alfred Lothar Wegener 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.
What is the explanation of continental drift?
Continental drift is the hypothesis that the Earth's continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other, thus appearing to have "drifted" across the ocean bed.
Who proposed the theory of continental drift quizlet?
In 1915, the German geologist and meteorologist Alfred Wegener first proposed the theory of continental drift, which states that parts of the Earth's crust slowly drift atop a liquid core.
Which explanation supports the theory 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 discovery provided strong support for the continental drift theory?
Increased knowledge about the configuration of the ocean floor and the subsequent formulation of the concepts of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics provided further support for continental drift.
How did Wegener change the world?
What were Alfred Wegener's contributions? Wegener noticed the similarity in the coastlines of eastern South America and western Africa and speculated that those lands had once formed a supercontinent, Pangaea, which had split and slowly moved many miles apart over geologic time.
Which statement best explains how the continents have changed over the last 200 million years according to the continental drift hypothesis?
Which statement best explains how the continents have changed over the last 200 million years, according to the continental drift hypothesis? They split apart from a supercontinent and very slowly moved to their current positions.
What is the evidence for explaining continental drift?
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.
What discovery provided strong support for continental drift?
Increased knowledge about the configuration of the ocean floor and the subsequent formulation of the concepts of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics provided further support for continental drift.
Which theory has provided explanations to Wegener’s claim of moving continents *?
Continental drift Continental drift was a revolutionary theory explaining that continents shift position on Earth's surface. The theory was proposed by geophysicist and meteorologist Alfred Wegener in 1912, but was rejected by mainstream science at the time.