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1.3 Drifting Continents

Explore Wegener's groundbreaking theory of Continental Drift and the evidence supporting the ancient Pangaea supercontinent. Discover how mountain ranges, fossils, and climate patterns offer clues to our planet's ever-shifting landmasses.

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1.3 Drifting Continents

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  1. 1.3 Drifting Continents

  2. I. The Theory of Continental Drift • A. Alfred Wegener, German scientist formed a hypothesis on Earth’s continents. • B. Wegener’s hypothesis was that all the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass and have since drifted apart

  3. C. Pangaea = all lands. • D. Continental drift - the continents slowly move over Earth’s surface • E. Evidence From Landforms Mountain ranges in South Africa lined up with a range in South America.

  4. F. Evidence from Fossils - Fossils are any trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved in rock. Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus fossils have been found in Africa and South America.

  5. MESOSAURUS

  6. LYSTROSAURUS

  7. Glossopteris

  8. G. Evidence from Climate: Glaciers were found in South America, Africa, India, Australia, Antarctica

  9. How does the location of the continent affect it’s climate? • As a continent moves closer to the equator it becomes warmer. • As a continent moves closer to the poles it becomes colder.

  10. II. Scientists Reject Wegener’s Theory • Wegener thought that mountains formed when drifting continents collided, causing their edges to crumple and fold. • Mountains usually occur in narrow bands along the edges of continents, as you would expect if the collision of continents forms mountains.

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