7.10A Continental Drift Quick Check

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What is the theory of continental drift?

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The theory of continental drift proposes that continents have not always been in their current locations and were once part of a supercontinent called Pangea.

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What is Pangea?

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Pangea is the name given to the single landmass that broke apart over 200 million years ago to form the continents we know today.

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What type of evidence supports the theory of continental drift?

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Fossil evidence, such as fossils of an extinct plant found on two different continents, supports the theory of continental drift.

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How do scientists use fossil evidence to support continental drift?

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Scientists look for similar species of fossils on different continents to provide evidence that those continents were once connected.

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What is plate tectonics?

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Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that describes the large-scale movements of Earth's lithosphere, which is divided into tectonic plates.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

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How might the continents change in the future according to the theory of continental drift?

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According to the theory of continental drift, continents may merge into a supercontinent in the future.

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What is the significance of fossil distribution in understanding continental drift?

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The distribution of fossils across continents provides evidence that continents were once joined and have since drifted apart.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

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What are tectonic plates?

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Tectonic plates are large sections of Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries, causing geological activity.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

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What evidence do scientists look for to support the idea that North America and Africa were once connected?

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Scientists look for fossil evidence of similar species on both continents to support the idea that they were once part of the same landmass.

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What role do earthquakes and volcanoes play in plate tectonics?

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Earthquakes and volcanoes often occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates, where they interact with each other.

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