Warm-up: Continental Drift

Front

What does the theory of continental drift state?

Back

The continents were once joined in a super-continent and have moved over time.

Front

Who is the German Scientist that came up with the theory of the Continental Drift?

Back

Alfred Wegener.

Front

What are the two types of crust?

Back

Continental (thicker, less dense) & oceanic (thinner, more dense).

Front

What are the three types of evidence that support Alfred Wegener's Theory?

Back

Fossils, Land forms, and Climate.

Front

Why did no one believe Wegener's theory?

Back

He could not explain HOW the continents moved.

Front

What is continental crust?

Back

The part of the Earth's crust that forms the continents, which is thicker and less dense than oceanic crust.

Front

What is oceanic crust?

Back

The part of the Earth's crust that forms the ocean floors, which is thinner and more dense than continental crust.

Front

What is Pangaea?

Back

A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, where all continents were joined together.

Front

What role do tectonic plates play in continental drift?

Back

Tectonic plates are large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact, causing continents to drift.

Front

What is the significance of fossil evidence in supporting continental drift?

Back

Fossils of the same species found on different continents suggest that these continents were once connected.