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Continental Drift Theory

Continental Drift Theory. What was Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis?. What did Wegener propose to be true in his 1915 book titled, The Origin of Continents and Oceans ?. Pangaea = Super Continent. Theorized that all of the continents were together as one large landmass, 300 million years ago.

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Continental Drift Theory

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  1. Continental Drift Theory

  2. What was Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis? What did Wegener propose to be true in his 1915 book titled, The Origin of Continents and Oceans?

  3. Pangaea = Super Continent • Theorized that all of the continents were together as one large landmass, 300 million years ago. • Over time, the continents split into separate pieces and shifted around the world.

  4. Pangaea – Splitting Apart

  5. Pangaea – Splitting Apart

  6. Pangaea – Splitting Apart

  7. Pangaea – Splitting Apart

  8. The Continental Drift Theory was not an original idea. Abraham Ortelius first announced his theory in 1596. What set Alfred Wegener apart from his predecessors and stirried up the scientific community?

  9. Wegener had evidence to support his theory

  10. 1) Coastlines and Landforms • The continents fit together like a puzzle and landforms like mountain chains also join together when the pieces are matched up.

  11. 1) Coastlines and Landforms • Notice the mountain chains in purple

  12. 1) Coastlines and Landforms • When the continents are reassembled, the mountain chains form a continuous belt, thus having the same rock types, structures and rock ages.

  13. 1) Coastlines and Landforms • Here is a better look at the landform features (mountains)

  14. 2) Climate • Coal that is formed in warm swampy areas was found in Antarctica. • Signs of glacial scarring found in rocks of mild climates. • Tropical plant fossils found on island in the Arctic Ocean. • Glacial features of the same age found in areas that would match up if landmass pieced together

  15. 3) Fossils – Mesosaurus

  16. 3) Fossils – All 4 in one map • Cynognathus - land reptile • Lystrosaurus – land reptile • Mesosaurus – freshwater reptile • Glossopteris - fern

  17. Problem! • Wegener couldn’t explain HOW the continents moved and the theory was shelved for several years.

  18. Task #1 • Use the first letter of the four fossils mentioned earlier (C, M, L, G) to create a cast or mold of an imaginary Pangaea fossil.

  19. Preparing for Task #2 Synthesize – Take two different things and explain relationships between the two • Example #1: Gum and the weathering of rocks • Example #2: Newspaper and soil composition

  20. Task #2 • Using what you know about the human body and the Continental Drift Theory, synthesize the two to make connections between their relationship.

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