Plate Tectonics Part 1

What does the theory of continental drift state?

• The continents were once joined in a super-continent and have moved over time
• Continents are stationary and do not move
• The Earth is broken into lithospheric plates that move due to convection currents
• none of the above

What evidence did Wegener use in his theory of Continental Drift?

• Continents and fossils fitting together/matching-up like puzzle pieces 
• glacier scars and evidence from temperature
• mountain ranges and coal deposits line up across continents
• all of the above

Why did no one believe Wegener's theory?

• He could not explain HOW the continents moved
• He didn't have evidence
• His data was wrong
• He didn't use the right technology to gather data

This is a picture of glacier striations 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

What is the currently accepted theory of why the continents move?

• Alfred Wegener's Theory of Continental Drift
• Harry Hess's Theory of Sea Floor Spreading (Other Scientists helped too)

True or False : Sea-floor Spreading adds new material to the ocean floor?

• True
• False

The OLDEST seafloor is located? 

• Closest to the mid-ocean ridge
• Farthest from the mid-ocean ridge

The YOUNGEST seafloor is located? 

• Closest to the mid-ocean ridge
• Farthest from the mid-ocean ridge

On either side of the ridge, the magnetic polarity stripes are:

• very different
• opposite
• a similar pattern
• younger

Between 3.5 - 4 million years ago the magnetic polarity was:

• Normal
• Reversed