Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics

Who came up with the theory of continental drift?

• Harry Hess

• Albert Einstein

• Alfred Wegener

• Bill Nye the Science Guy

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

What is the theory of continental drift?

• New crust is being created at mid-ocean ridges and is pushing away old crust.

• The continents have always stayed in their current location.

• The same fossils of plants and animals can be found on the same continents.

• The continents had once been joined in a single landmass and have since drifted apart.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which pieces of evidence did Wegener use to try and prove his theory of continental drift?

• Fossils

• Ocean currents

• Climate change

• Land features

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which two continents did Wegener notice fit together like pieces of a puzzle?

• Africa and North America

• South America and Africa

• South America and Europe

• Asia and South America

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Why did people not believe in Wegener's theory about continental drift?

• 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.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

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

• Similar fossils are found along continental margins that appear to join together.

• Fossils are found in areas where present-day climate could not have supported the organisms that made the fossils.

• Similar fossils of land-dwelling dinosaurs are found on continents separated by oceans.

• All of the above.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Which of the following statements is false?

• Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.

• Continental crust is made of granite.

• Continental crust is younger than oceanic crust.

• Continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust.

Plates move away from one another at ________ boundaries.

• divergent

• transform

• convergent

• submergent

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What is the term for a heavier, denser plate sliding under a less dense plate?

• submersion

• plate boundary

• acceleration

• subduction

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

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The crust and the uppermost mantle make up the _________.

• lithosphere

• asthenosphere

• mesosphere

• thermosphere