Continental Drift & Sea Floor Spreading

Front

Who is credited with developing the theory of continental drift?

Back

Alfred Wegener

Front

What two specific continents fit together most noticeably?

Back

South America and Africa

Front

How does fossil evidence support Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift?

Back

All of the above: Similar fossils are found along continents that appear to join together; Fossils are found in areas where the present-day climate could not have supported the organisms that made the fossils; Similar fossils of giant, land-dwelling dinosaurs are found on continents separated by oceans.

Front

What is Pangaea?

Back

Supercontinent that existed in Earth's distant past.

Front

Why was Wegener's theory not accepted?

Back

He had no proof of how the continents were moving

Front

What is the name given to the hypothesis that continents once formed a giant landmass that broke apart and drifted apart?

Back

continental drift

Front

What do most geologists think causes the movement of Earth's tectonic plates?

Back

Convection currents - Movement of the layer of Earth under the crust called the "mantle"

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

Which organism was a reptile whose fossils are found on Antarctica, but couldn't survive in Antarctica today? Options: Mesosaurus, Lystrosaurus, Cynoganthus, Glossopteris

Back

Lystrosaurus

Front

Which organism had webbed feet and a strong tail to swim in fresh water, and could never swim across today's oceans - however, their fossils were found in both South America & Africa?

Back

Mesosaurus