Continental Drift
Describe the theory of continental drift
the theory that the continents were once all connected and over time they drifted apart
Describe the theory of seafloor spreading
The idea that the ocean floor works like a conveyor belt: new land comes up from the mantle, pushes old land back, older land is pushed back under the crust back into the mantle
The __________ is the only layer of the Earth humans have ever been to. It is the outermost layer of the earth
the crust
the area around the pacific ocean with the most volcanoes in the world
the Ring of Fire
Heat transfer through direct touch
Conduction
Why was continental drift not originally believed?
Because it did not explain WHY the continents drifted
What is the mid oceanic ridge?
The longest mountain chain in the world, where new land comes up out of the mantle
the _________ is the only liquid layer of the earth, and is right outside of the center of the earth
outer core
What heat transfer causes volcanoes to erupt?
convection
Give an example of radiation
the sun shining on the earth
What was the name of the super continent?
Pangaea
What is the process by which old land re-enters the mantle?
Subduction
the ________ is where convection occurs causing volcanic eruptions
mantle
_____ is the word we use for molten material that has not erupted yet
magma
Heat transfer through "empty" space
radiation
What were two pieces of evidence used for continental drift theory?
1) Fossils
2) Mountain Ranges
3) The ways that the continents were shaped
What were two pieces of evidence for seafloor spreading?
2) Rock samples
3) Pillowey rocks at the bottom of the ocean
the __________ is made of iron and nickel, and is the densest layer of the earth
inner core
______ is the word we use for molten material after it has erupted
lava
Heat transfer through warm liquid/gas rising, cool liquid/gas falling
convection
Who came up with the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
Who came up with Seafloor spreading theory?
Harry Hess
__________ is the scientific principle that causes there to be many different layers of the earth
density
an ___________ volcano is a volcano that has erupted at least once in the past 10,000 years
active
I burnt my hand on the stove yesterday when I touched it. What heat transfer is this?
Conduction