Wegener's Theory
This scientist proposed the theory of continental drift.
Who is Alfred Wegener?
The matching shapes of continental coastlines provide this type of evidence for continental drift.
What is puzzle-fit evidence?
These are the two types of Earth's crust.
What are oceanic crust and continental crust?
At this boundary, two tectonic plates move toward each other.
What is a convergent boundary?
This type of diagram shows an inside view as if an object were sliced open.
What is a cross section?
This is the name of the ancient supercontinent.
What is Pangea?
Matching ranges on continents separated by an ocean provide this evidence for continental drift.
What are matching mountain ranges?
Earth's outer rigid layer is broken into these moving pieces.
What are tectonic plates?
At this boundary, two tectonic plates move away from each other.
What is a divergent boundary?
Sudden movement along faults releases energy and causes these events.
What are earthquakes?
Wegener noticed that these two continents fit together like puzzle pieces.
What are South America and Africa?
Fossils of this extinct reptile were found in both South America and Africa.
What is Mesosaurus?
This is the number of major tectonic plates commonly shown on a basic world plate map.
What is seven?
At this boundary, two tectonic plates slide past each other.
What is a transform boundary?
New oceanic crust forms as plates separate at these underwater mountain ranges.
What are mid-ocean ridges?
This theory states that the continents were once joined and slowly moved apart over millions of years.
What is continental drift?
These scratches in rock were made by moving glaciers and help show that continents were once connected.
What are glacial striations?
This major tectonic plate lies beneath most of the Pacific Ocean.
What is the Pacific Plate?
When two continental plates collide at a convergent boundary, these large landforms can form.
What are mountain ranges?
This process occurs when one tectonic plate sinks beneath another at a convergent boundary.
What is subduction?
Scientists rejected Wegener's theory because he could not explain this.
What is how the continents moved apart?
Mesosaurus fossils on both sides of the Atlantic support this conclusion about South America and Africa.
What is that the continents were once connected, allowing Mesosaurus to live in the same connected region?
Name the seven major tectonic plates.
What are the African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific, and South American plates?
When continental plates pull apart at a divergent boundary, this type of valley can form.
What is a rift valley?
The puzzle fit of continents, matching mountains, fossils, and glacial striations all support this claim.
What is that the continents were once joined together in Pangea?