Mesosaurus
True or False: The mesosaurus could swim long distances.
False
What is Earth's outer layer called?
The crust
What is a plate boundary?
A line that separates one plate from another
Who is Alfred Wegener?
A German scientist who studied plate motion
Pieces of Earth's crust that move around constantly are known as
plates
Where were the mesosaurus fossils found?
South American & African plates
What is the layer below the crust called?
The mantle
Describe what a divergent plate boundary is
A boundary in which plates move away from each other
What theory did Alfred Wegener believe?
That the continents were once combined into one supercontinent and drifted apart over time
A diagram that shows what the inside of something looks like
cross section
Give 2 pieces of evidence to prove why the mesosaurus could not have swam from Africa to South America.
1. lungs instead of gills
2. liked to stay by land
3. bodies not built for swimming long distances
Describe what the crust is made out of
Hard, solid rock
Describe what a convergent boundary is
A plate boundary in which plates move towards each other
What is the name of the supercontinent that Alfred Wegener believed used to exist?
Pangea
Scientists what to drill below land and below the ocean? Will they find solid rock below either of them?
What type of landform was found between the South American and African plates?
mid-ocean ridge
Describe what the mantle is made of
Soft solid rock; more flexible
What types of landforms/natural disasters can be formed by both convergent and divergent plate boundaries?
Volcanoes and earthquakes
What are three pieces of evidence that Wegener gave to prove that the continents used to be combined into one supercontinent and separated over time?
1. The shapes of the continents fit together like puzzle pieces
2. The same landforms and rocks were found on different continents
3. The same fossils were found on different continents
Describe how a mid-ocean ridge is formed.
A mid-ocean ridge is formed by a divergent boundary. When the plates move away from each other, magma from the mantle seeps through the space. This magma cools and hardens into a mid-ocean ridge.
Based on the evidence you have found, how did the mesosaurus fossils end up on two different continents?
There is a divergent boundary between the two plates. Over time, the plates separated while keeping some of the same fossils on each plate.
How do the mantle and the crust work together?
The crust is broken into plates. The plates are able to move around as they are placed on top of the mantle, which is a soft solid and is always moving. Without the flexibility of the mantle, the plates would not be able to move around.
Trenches are formed by __________________ boundaries. Mid-ocean ridges are formed by ____________________ boundaries.
convergent; divergent
What evidence did Wegener not provide to prove that the continents were once all connected?
He did not explain how the plates moved.
What are two pieces of evidence that prove that there is a convergent boundary near the Jalisco Block?
1. There is a trench that has formed
2. The plates are moving towards each other
3. Most earthquakes are occuring along the trench line