pangaea year 1 science. eq: what evidence did alfred wegener use to prove continental drift?
TRANSCRIPT
PANGAEAYEAR 1 SCIENCE
EQ: WHAT EVIDENCE DID ALFRED WEGENER USE TO PROVE CONTINENTAL DRIFT?
PANGAEA NOTES
ALFRED WEGENER
• German Scientist• Came up with the Theory of Continental Drift• At one time, the continents were once connected
to form a supercontinent• The landmasses have drifted apart over the years
• The supercontinent = Pangaea
EVIDENCE #1
1) FOSSILS: fossils of the same plants and animals were found on separated continents
EVIDENCE #2
2) CLIMATE CHANGE: scratches on rocks found in South Africa were caused by glaciers; fossils of tropical plants have been found in the cold Arctic
EVIDENCE #3
3) LAND FEATURES: similar rocks found in multiple regions; mountain ranges on various continents line up with each other
PROOF?
• No one believed Alfred because he couldn’t provide WHY the continents were moving, so his hypothesis was rejected.
• It wasn’t until Alfred’s death that a man by the name of Harry Hess came up with the theory of sea-floor spreading, which proved Alfred’s theory to be correct.
