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Continental drift is the name for the effect Plate Tectonics has on the major continental crust plates of the planet.
Plate Tectonics causes them to 'drift' apart very slowly over very long periods of time. The continents only move a few inches a year on average.
The mechanism by which they move, Plate Tectonics, works essentially like this:
There are faults, or cracks/splits in the earth's crust where the plates push against each other, slide along each other, or are pushed/buried under one another. These plates are always under immense pressure, and sometimes they slip, spread, or are buried deeper under another plate, almost always causing earthquakes.
When this happens, they move slightly, usually ranging from a few inches to a few feet. These slight moves add up over millions of years to move whole crust plates hundreds or thousands of miles.
(simplified)
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What is it called when continents break apart?
Continental Drift
What is the theory that plates have moved apart over tmie?
Alfred Wegeners 1912 theory of Plate tectonics and continental drift.
What were the arguments used against Wagner's theory of continental drift?
the arguments of Wagner's theory was there was no explanation of how the continents drifted apart.
How did you find out about continenle drift?
Compare a map of South America against Africa. The two fit, so have drifted apart
The older theory of continental drift suggested?
hat there was once a supercontinent and the huge landmass was broken into continents that drifted apart .
Explain plate tections and the continential drift?
Continential drift is a large landform of our continents.
What evidence is there for continential drift?
It is when your momma goes up.
What is evidence for continential drift?
It is when your momma goes up.
What field of science was wegener knowledgeable?
He Hypothesised continential drift which is geographical
What was Wegener's hypothesis of continential drift?
the continents were once joined together in a single landmass
Why is south America and Africa moving apart?
Continential drift. The world used to be one big supercontinent - Pangea. It cracked up and started drifting apart..if you try to put South America & Africa together, it fits just like a jigzaw puzzle..so do a lot of other continents into other landmasses.
The theory that continents can drift apart from oneanother?
Continental Drift
Is the wanted's song chasing the sun going to be inside the movie ice age continential drift?
Yes it is used in the movie near the beginning.
How did the seven continents break apart?
Its the whole idea of "continental drift." In this process tectonics plates spread apart making the continents drift.
When did pangaea drift apart?
According to the theory of continental drift, Pangaea drifted apart when the plates under the crust gradually drifted apart. This process happened over a matter of years.
What is continential drift?
Continental Drift is an old style name for Plate tectonic movement. The major continents of the world appear to drift about. It is thir underlying plate that is moving. The classic example is Africa and South America. They appear to fit together like pieces of a jig-saw, but they have drifted apart to form the Atlantic Ocean. The underlying tectonic plates of Africa and South America are actually moving. Africa northwards into Europe and South America westwards into the Pacific Ocean.
Why is ''cotinental drift'' an appropriate title for wegeners theory?
Because Continental drift is when the continents drift apart because they hate each other.
