Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics

Multiple Choice

What is the name of the supercontinent that is beleived all continents broke off from?

• Laurasia

• Gondwanaland

• Pangea

• Panthalassa

Multiple Choice

What hypothesis states that the continents were once joined to form a single supercontinent?

• plate tectonics

• seafloor spreading

• continental drift

Multiple Choice

One of the first clues that many people notice about continental drift is that:

• the continents appear to fit together like puzzle pieces.

• the lithospheric plates move across the asthenosphere.

• ancient climates in different parts of the world appear to have been identical.

• the Earth is protected from the solar winds by its magnetosphere.

Multiple Choice

During his lifetime, the main objection to Alfred Wegener’s proposal was the inability to find _________________ for continental drift.

• the engine

• an example

• evidence

• a timeline

Multiple Choice

What are the remains of organism noticed by Wegener that are found the same in two continents?

• Leaves and flowers

• Ice and mountains

• Plants and animals

• Dinosaurs and reptiles

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is evidence that mountain ranges on different continents were once connected?

• They have the same climate

• They are inhabited by similar wildlife

• They are the same age

• They have no trees beyond a certain height

Multiple Choice

Some fossils found on Antarctica required a tropical climate to live. How does this support the theory of continental drift?

• The climate at the poles of the earth is cold, meaning that Antarctica used to be closer to the equator.

• The climate at the poles of the earth was once warm

• The equator used to be at the poles of the earth

• The earth's orientation was once such that the poles of the earth were closer to the sun

Multiple Choice

This is a picture of glacier scars found in Africa.  What are these evidence for?

• Africa has always been near the equator

• Africa was once in an area of the Earth that had a very cold climate

• The continents have not moved

• sea floor spreading

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is evidence that supports continental drift?

• the presence of penguins at both the equator and Antarctica

• fossils of the same plant have been found on several continents

• the presence of glacial features in Antarctica

• the presence of volcanic rock in Antarctica

Multiple Choice

Wegener found fossils of land reptiles on two different continents. This was important because

• Land reptiles are often found all over the world, showing that they can survive in most climates

• Land reptiles cannot swim, so the continents must have been connected for them to get across

• Land reptiles are never moved around the Earth by humans, so they must have travels to these continents by themselves

• Land reptiles fossilized much better than other animal species

Multiple Choice

Wegener found fossils of ancient ferns on Antarctica, this shows

• That some ferns can survive temperatures well below freezing

• That humans put ferns on Antarctica millions of years ago

• That Antarctica drifted from a warmer climate where plants could grow

• That fossils can be formed in cold climates

Multiple Choice

Originally the Continental drift theory was not well received by other scientist. Why?

• There was a competing theory at the time that was more believable.

• There was no data showing the continents ever moved.

• The scientists did not know the force responsible for moving the continents.

• The scientist presenting the data was unreliable.

Multiple Choice

What is the force that moves the continents?

• Conduction

• Convection

• Radiation

• Conveyor belts

Reorder

Order the pictures of Pangaea from oldest to present day.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Match

Match the following

• Glacier grooves match up on neighboring continents

• Plant and animal evidence found on continents seperated by oceans

• Hardened magma of the same chemistry and age

• Continents seem to fit together like puzzle pieces

Climate Clues

Fossil clues

Rock clues

Continental shape clues

• Climate Clues

• Fossil clues

• Rock clues

• Continental shape clues