Earth's Changes Over Time: Exit Ticket 1.14.2025

How did Alfred Wegener use the distribution of fossils to support his Continental Drift Theory?

• He found that fossils of the same species were only found on one continent.

• He discovered that fossils of the same species were found on continents that are now far apart.

• He noticed that fossils were only found in mountainous regions.

• He found that fossils were more abundant in the Southern Hemisphere.

What reasoning did Wegener use to explain the presence of glacial striations near the equator?

• He suggested that glaciers could form anywhere on Earth regardless of climate.

• He proposed that the continents were once positioned differently, placing these areas near the South Pole.

• He believed that the Earth's climate was once uniformly cold.

• He thought that the striations were caused by ancient rivers, not glaciers.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

How does the principle of superposition help geologists determine the relative age of rocks?

• It allows them to date rocks using radioactive decay.

• It helps them identify the exact age of a rock layer.

• It provides a way to compare the age of rock layers by their position, with older layers at the bottom.

• It shows that all rock layers are the same age.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What evidence did scientists find on the ocean floor that supported the theory of plate tectonics?

• They found that the ocean floor was completely flat and featureless.

• They discovered mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys, indicating seafloor spreading.

• They found that the ocean floor was made entirely of ancient rocks.

• They discovered that the ocean floor was shrinking.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

Why was the discovery of Glossopteris fossils on multiple continents significant for Wegener's theory?

• It showed that the plant could survive in any climate.

• It suggested that the continents were once connected, as the plant's seeds couldn't have crossed oceans.

• It indicated that the plant was the most widespread species in history.

• It proved that the plant was native to Antarctica.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

How does the theory of plate tectonics explain the formation of mountain ranges?

• It suggests that mountains form only through volcanic activity.

• It explains that mountains form when tectonic plates collide and push the Earth's crust upward.

• It states that mountains are formed by erosion over millions of years.

• It proposes that mountains are remnants of ancient meteorite impacts.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

What role did Mary Tharp play in advancing the understanding of plate tectonics?

• She developed the first theory of continental drift.

• She mapped the ocean floor and identified rift valleys, supporting the idea of seafloor spreading.

• She discovered the process of radioactive decay in rocks.

• She was the first to propose the existence of Pangaea.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

How do coal deposits found on different continents support the idea of continental drift?

• They show that coal can form in any climate.

• They suggest that these continents were once connected and had similar swampy environments.

• They prove that coal is the most common rock type on Earth.

• They indicate that coal deposits are only found in the Southern Hemisphere.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Who is the person credited with developing the theory of continental drift?

• Harry Hess

• Albert Einstein

• Alfred Wegener

• Isaac Newton

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

According to the continental drift hypothesis, the presence of similar fossils in South America and Africa supports which scientific idea?

• Animals easily and frequently travel from Africa to South America.

• Species of animals probably traveled between continents on natural rafts (such as trees destroyed in tsunamis).

• Land bridges once existed that connected the continents.

• South America and Africa were once connected together.

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HS-ESS2-A-2

HS-ESS2-B-2