Moving Continents

Front

What is a Glossopteris?

Back

It's an ancient fern. Fossilized remains have been found on 5 different continents.

Front

What is a Mesosaurus?

Back

It's an ancient reptile. Fossilized remains have been found on several different continents.

Front

Who proposed the Theory of Continental Drift?

Back

Alfred Wegener.

Front

What are continents?

Back

They are the less dense areas of the crust that mostly lie above sea level.

Front

What is Continental Drift?

Back

It is the hypothesis that the Earth's continents have moved relative to each other throughout geologic time, thus appearing to have 'drifted'.

Front

What is the Earth's crust?

Back

The outermost layer of the Earth, which is solid and relatively thin compared to the layers beneath it.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's crust that move and interact with each other.

Front

What causes the movement of tectonic plates?

Back

Convection currents in the mantle beneath the Earth's 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 evidence supports the Theory of Continental Drift?

Back

Fossil evidence, geological similarities, and the fit of continental coastlines.