Continental Drift Lesson

Continental Drift

Alfred Wegener

● Geologist who proposed that the continents

were once connected as a supercontinent called
Pangaea

● Published 1st version of his theory in 1912 & died

defending it.

Multiple Choice

This German scientist first proposed continental drift theory

• Harry Hess

• Alfred Wegener

• Sir Thomas Continental Drift

• Isaac Newton

Pangea

The large
landmass

that

included

all of

Earth’s
present-

day

continents

Multiple Choice

This was the super continent, where all of the Earth’s continents were connected together

• Beringia

• Pantheon

• Pangaea

• Wakanda

Evidence for

Continental Drift

1. Shape of the Continents

● The continents fit together like puzzle pieces.
● 1858: Antonio Pelligrini depicted Africa & South

America connected.

2. Fossils

● Fossils of the same organisms were found on

different continents.

● Mesosaurus found in Africa & South America,

but couldn’t swim across the ocean.

Multiple Choice

TRUE or FALSE

North America and Europe are moving closer together.

• TRUE

• FALSE

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

3. Rock Evidence

● Existing mountain

ranges separated by
oceans had identical
mineral content.

● Example: Appalachian

mountains in US &
Caledonian mountains in
British Isles

Multiple Choice

What piece of evidence for Continental Drift states that similar types and ages of rocks are found on different continents?

• Continent Shape

• Fossil/Climate Evidence

• Landform/Rock Evidence

• Glacial Evidence

4. Glacial Scars

● Glacial deposits found in South America, Africa,

India & Australia where glaciers no longer form
in present day.

5. Coal Deposits

● Coal deposits found in temperate & polar regions

even though coal is formed in tropical regions.

Met with Doubt

● Why didn’t people believe Wegener’s theory?

1. People couldn’t imagine the Earth being

millions of years old.

2. People couldn’t imagine a force strong enough

to move the continents.

Multiple Choice

Wegener noticed that the Appalachian Mountains and Caledonian Mountains line up and are made of the same rock types. This was a type of ....

• Fossil Evidence

• Rock Formation Evidence

• Climate Evidence

• Objective Evidence

Multiple Choice

How was Wegener's theory received by other scientists at the time?

• They thought it was great

• They did not accept it

Multiple Choice

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

• Africa has always been near the equator

• Continents with glacial scars were once in an area of the Earth that had a very cold climate

• The continents have not moved

• sea floor spreading

Multiple Choice

Which type of evidence was NOT used by Alfred Wegener to support his continental drift hypothesis?

• evidence from fossils

• evidence from human remains

• evidence from climates

• evidence from landforms

Reorder

Order the pictures of Pangaea from oldest to present day.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Multiple Choice

When we observe the same reptile fossil in two places, we infer ___.

• The reptile flew to a new habitat.

• The habitats used to be near each other.

• Someone buried the fossils in a new place to trick us.

Multiple Choice

Which type of information was NOT collected by Wegener to support his continental drift hypothesis?

• glacial deposits

•  fossils

• seafloor magnetic data

• Rock evidence

Multiple Choice

Why was Wegener's theory not accepted?

• He had no proof of how they were moving

• He had no evidence

• He was married

• He was not a Scientist

Multiple Choice

What evidence did Wegener use to support his theory?

• Continents and fossils fitting together/matching-up like puzzle pieces

• glacier scars and other climate evidence from temperature

• mountain ranges and rocks line up across continents

• all of the above

Multiple Choice

One piece of evidence for Plate Tectonics is that--

• some continents appear to fit together like a puzzle.

• we have video footage of the plates actually moving.

• all continents have formed from volcanic eruptions.

• the continents are no longer moving.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following causes Earth's tectonic plates to move?

• Energy from the Sun

• Magnetic Pole Reversal

• Convection currents in the mantle

• Faults in Mountain Ranges

Multiple Choice

Letter C is pointing to the ...

• crust

• mantle

• inner core

• outer core

Multiple Choice

Letter D is pointing to the ...

• crust

• mantle

• inner core

• outer core

Multiple Choice

Letter B is pointing to the ...

• crust

• mantle

• inner core

• outer core

Multiple Choice

Letter A is pointing to the ...

• crust

• mantle

• inner core

• outer core

Multiple Choice

As you travel from the crust to the inner core, how would temperature, pressure and density of the material change?

• The would all increase

• The would all decrease.

• They would stay the same.  

• Temperature would decrease, but pressure and density would increase.