Evidence of Plate Tectonics

Front

What is established in some rocks when they are formed?

Back

Magnetic North and South

Front

True or False: The Mesosaurus is a freshwater reptile with fossils found in both South America and Africa.

Back

True

Front

What natural phenomenon do deep scratches in rocks found in South Africa indicate?

Back

Glaciers

Front

What do the fossils of tropical plants found on islands in the Arctic Ocean indicate about the climate?

Back

The climate was once warm enough to support tropical plants.

Front

If the continents had remained fixed in place, what would have matched the Earth's magnetic North and South?

Back

The geographic poles

Front

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

Back

The theory that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle.

Front

What evidence supports the theory of continental drift?

Back

Fossil distribution, geological similarities, and the fit of continental margins.

Front

What is a mid-ocean ridge?

Back

An underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics.

Front

What role do subduction zones play in plate tectonics?

Back

They are areas where one plate moves under another, leading to volcanic activity.

Front

What is the significance of paleomagnetism in studying plate tectonics?

Back

It provides evidence of the historical movement of tectonic plates through magnetic orientation in rocks.