What is Continental Drift?

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What is Continental Drift?

• The drifting of Pangaea.

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• Continental Drift is a hypothesis presented by
  Alfred Wegner. He thought the continents moved to
  their present position on earth.

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• Wegner believed all continents were once
  connected into one large land mass called Pangaea.

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• The continents took over 200 million years to
  move.
• They moved ½ to 4 inches a year.

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Fossil Clues

• Meosaurus (in South America and Africa)
• Glossopteris ( in Africa, Australia, India, South
  America, and Antarctica.)

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Climate Clues

• Glacial deposits and groove bedrock were found in
  South America, Africa, India, and Australia.
• Fossils of warm weather plants were found on the
  island of Spitzbergen (in Arctic)

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Rock Clues

• Similar rock structures in the Appalachian
  Mountains, Greenland, Western Europe, South
  America, and Western Africa.

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Wegners Hypothesis Rejected

• Although Wegner had evidence, he couldnt explain
  how, when, or why.
• Years later (after Wegners death), his theory
  was accepted.

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What did you learn?

• What is Pangaea?
• Why werent Wegners ideas supported?
• How did Wegner use climate clues to support his
  hypothesis?
• What would Wegner need to help prove his ideas
  were correct?

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Works Cited

• 1. Public USGS
• http//pubs.usgs.gov
• Stages of Pangaea
• 2.http//pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/continent
  s.htmlAnimal Fossils
• www.newton.mec.edu/.../image/ alfred_wegner.jpg
• http//pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/continents.
  html
• http//www.pangaeafossils.com/Images/plants/pu1.jp
  g
• http//www.pangaeafossils.com/Images/plants/pu1.jp
  g