How Continental Drift arranged the continents to how we know them today

1. How Continental Drift arranged the continents to how we know them today Unit 4

2. Theory of Continental Drift • In 1912 Alfred Wegener proposed that a large super continent called Pangea split into smaller pieces about 200-300 million years ago. • Alfred’s theory is supported by the ‘fit of the continents, distribution of rocks, fossils, soil, and ice.

3. Causes of the drift • Sea-floor spreading, which can cause subduction zones. • Subduction zones are the areas where one piece of the crust moves under another. • Collisions and creations of the crust plates, these collisions usually cause earthquakes. • During an earthquake the epicenter ispoint on the earths surface directly above the focuswhich is where the earth quake starts.

4. Evidence supporting the theory • The evidence supporting the theory of continental drift shows that if you look at the continents below sea-level you could piece them together like a puzzle. • The continents also have similar environments including the soil and rocks along the edges of where they touch when put together.

5. Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYbTNFN3NBo&feature=related

6. K.S. • Who proposed the theory of Continental Drift?