13.1 Continental Drift Quiz

Early mapmakers thought continents might have moved based on their observations of

• magnetism.

• earthquakes and floods.

• rock and fossil evidence.

• matching coastlines.

Fossil evidence that supported Wegener’s idea of continental drift included

• ocean plants.

• ocean mammals.

• tropical flowers.

• land-dwelling animals.

Fossils of aquatic reptiles found in freshwater rocks suggested to Wegener that these reptiles

• swam the great distances between continents.

• once lived in Earth’s oceans.

• probably did not cross the oceans.

• ate plants.

Based on observations of fossils of Glossopteris, Wegener concluded that

• magnetic reversals had occurred in Earth’s past.

• Earth’s continents were never joined.

• the plant grew only in the tropics.

• continental rocks containing these fossils had once been joined.

Based on the glacial deposits he observed, Wegener argued that

• plants could not survive hot weather.

• Earth’s axis of rotation had changed in the past.

• glaciers form near the equator.

• landmasses drifted away from the South Pole.

Most scientists at the time rejected Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift because he

• couldn’t explain how or why the continents moved.

• insisted that Earth’s axis of rotation had changed.

• had collected little evidence to support his hypothesis.

• would not state his hypothesis publicly.