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How and why have the shapes of the continents changed over millions of years?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
By way of a geological process call "Plate Tectonics" (aka continental drift). Continents sit on 8 major plates which are denser than the level below them and move 50-100 mm annually.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What name have geogrphers given to the movement of continents over millions of years?
Geographers refer to the movement of continents over millions of years as "continental drift." This theory, proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, states that the Earth's continents were once joined together in a single supercontinent and have since drifted apart to their current positions.
Why do our continents look like they do today?
because the plates shifted and there are earthquakes for millions of years
Millions of years ago it is possible that the continents may have been .?
one big block of land
Which are the oldest continents?
For the most part, all of the continents are equal in age and were split from larger continents millions of years ago through plate tectonics which keeps surface area moving under and over plates.
How did Pangea form?
Pangaea formed approximately 300 million years ago when all the Earth's landmasses were joined together as a single supercontinent. The movement of tectonic plates caused the continents to drift apart over millions of years, eventually resulting in the current layout of continents.
Why don't the shapes of the continents now fit together exactly?
The shapes of continents do not fit together exactly because they have been moving and shifting over millions of years due to plate tectonics. This movement has caused the continents to break apart and drift apart from each other, resulting in their current shapes. Additionally, erosion and other geological processes have also altered the original shapes of the continents.
Where will the continents be in 20 million years?
The continents will not have changed noticeably in 20 million years.
Why do climates change as continents move?
Climates can change suddenly for brief periods after a volcanic eruption. In contrast, the movement of continents causes steady climate changes over many millions of years
What caused the continents to rise from the seafloor millions of years ago?
floaties
Will the earth get more continents?
No, not currently. The continents won't change for hundreds of millions of years as they move extremely slowly.
What are crustal?
Crustal movements is the movements of plates that make up the Earth's CrustWithin the mantle of the Earth, There are powerful magma.These currents are responsible for moving the crustal plates. This Crustal Movementsmay only be a few centimeters a year but over millions of years, it has changed the position of the continents and has had a pronounced effect on shapes of the surface of our earth.This movement causes earthquakes, forms volcanoes and mountains, and make the continents move.
Millions of years ago is it possible that the continents may have been populated by humans?
No. Modern humans evolved just some tens of thousands or a hundred thousand years ago, so millions of years ago there were no humans to populate the continents.
What is the term used for millions of years ago when the continents were a family?
It was called pangea
Millions of years ago all the continents formed one landmasscalled the?
pangaea
How has the earths surface changed over millions of years?
the
What was it called millions of years ago when all the continents were all one continent?
Pangea.
Why do our continents look like they do today?
because the plates shifted and there are earthquakes for millions of years
