Moving continents
What was the name of the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago?
Pangaea
Who proposed the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
What process breaks rocks into smaller pieces?
Weathering
What are the three main types of rocks?
Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
What is a renewable resource?
A resource that can be replaced naturally in a short time
What theory explains that continents were once joined together and later drifted apart?
Continental Drift
What is a scientific theory?
A well-tested explanation supported by evidence
What process moves sediment from one place to another?
Erosion
What process turns sediment into sedimentary rock?
Compaction and cementation
Name one nonrenewable resource.
Coal, oil, or natural gas
What evidence shows that South America and Africa were once connected?
Matching fossils, rock formations, and coastline shapes
Why was Wegener’s idea first rejected?
He could not explain how continents moved
What type of weathering involves chemical changes?
Chemical weathering
What process forms igneous rock?
Cooling and solidification of magma or lava
What are fossil fuels made from?
The remains of ancient plants and animals
At which type of plate boundary do plates move away from each other?
Divergent boundary
What discovery later helped prove continental drift?
Seafloor spreading
Name one agent of erosion.
Water, wind, ice, or gravity
What causes metamorphic rock to form?
Heat and pressure
What is an ore?
A rock that contains a valuable mineral that can be mined
What is the movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates called?
Plate tectonics
What technology helped scientists map the ocean floor?
Sonar / echo sounder
what is a bend in a river called
meander
What cycle describes how rocks change from one type to another?
The Rock Cycle
Why is conservation important?
To prevent depletion of natural resources