Vocabulary
What is a hypothesis ?
A prediction based on limited evidence that can be tested by observation and experimentation.
Who first hypothesized that the continents were once connected?
Abraham Ortelius
Where is the equator located?
Around the center of the Earth?
Was Ortelius taken seriously when he proposed his hypothesis.
No
What is erosion?
The removal of rock material by wind, water, ice, or gravity.
What is continental drift?
The hypothesis that the continents slowly drifted to their current positions after having been part of a single, giant landmass that broke apart.
Who is Alfred Wegener?
Scientist who named the ancient supercontinent, Pangea.
How many continents are there now?
Seven
Did all scientists believe Wegner's idea of continental drifting?
No
What is weathering?
The physical or chemical breakdown of rock on Earth’s surface.
What is the meaning of Pangea?
"all lands"
Who is Abraham Ortelius?
The mapmaker that first hypothesized that the continents had once been joined.
Which two continents were referred to as one continent during Pangea?
T/F: Scientists discovered an underwater mountain chain that encircles the globe.
True
What is deposition?
The accumulation of eroded rock material transported from another location.
What are plate tectonics?
The scientific theory that the lithosphere is made up of rigid pieces, called tectonic plates, that move across Earth’s surface.
When did Wegner explain the mysterious fit of the continents?
In 1912.
What kind of fossil is "Glossopteris"?
A plant fossil (fern).
Why were fossils of the same organisms found on different continents?
Because the continents slowly drifted apart.
What is uniformitarianism?
The idea that any natural processes we can observe today happened in the same way in the past and will also happen in the same way in the future.
What is subduction?
The process by which a collision between two tectonic plates forces the denser plate under the less dense plate
When did Ortelius notice that the continents looked like they might fit together like puzzle pieces?
In 1596.
What kind of fossils are "Mesosaurus" and "Lystrosaurus"?
Extinct reptiles.
What evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support his continental drift hypothesis?
Fossils and mountain ranges
What is uplift?
The upward movement of large areas of Earth’s crust caused by forces deep beneath the surface.