Lesson on Fossils and Pangea

One piece of evidence that supports the Theory of Plate Tectonics is the discovery of what in both South America and Africa?

• The ancient atmosphere in both places was identical.

• The rates of weathering of rock are similar.

• Fossil remains of the same land-dwelling animal.

• Plants on both continents have similar flowers.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Even before modern observations provided evidence that supports the Theory of Plate Tectonics, people developed theories that the continents were once joined together. Using only maps, they observed that –

• most of the larger land masses are in the Northern Hemisphere.

• continents with the most moderate climates were located near the Equator.

• the shapes of continents appeared to allow them to fit together.

• the oceans have decreased in size throughout the history of Earth.

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

The Theory of Continental Drift states that Pangaea broke apart and the continents "drifted" away from each other

• True
• False

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Which piece of evidence did Wegener use to prove continental drift?

• The shape of the continents
• Similar fossils found on separate continents
• Tree fossils found in odd places
• All of the above

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

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

What is this a picture of?

• plate tectonics
• continental drift
• pangea
• glacier scaring

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1