What is the reason continental drift?

Answer 1

The Earth's crust is fragmented into large pieces called plates, some of which carry the continents. These plates overlie the mantle, which is solid, but under such tremendous pressure that in many ways it behaves like a liquid. Heat from the Earth's core causes convection currents in the mantle, and these cause the plates to move around over millions of years. This movement is often referred to as continental drift because the relative positions of the continents change because of it.

Earth is liquid inside. The liquid is a mixture of hot, melted metals and other elements and constantly moves because of temperature changes, just like air and water currents. The Earth's crust rests on the liquid interior and because the liquid moves, the crust moves as well. Since the crusts consists of individual plates, these plates move against each other and collide or subdue other plates. This is why continents change and move and how mountain ranges such as the Andes, Alps, Himalaya and Rocky Mountains came to be.

Answer 2

The continetal drift occurs because of underwater volcanoes. As the maga is released underwater, it cools and hardens. Over 200 million years passed and the hardened magma had slowly pushed apart the super continent, Pangea.

Answer 3

1. it didnt happen, its happening right now (the continents move 2cm each year) and 2. its due to the techtonic plates floating on the magma (lava) which is moving in convection currants (hot stuff moves up, cold stuff moves down)

Answer 4

Well have a look at Wegner's theory. New crust forms at the bottom of the ocean, between two older crust, which pushes them apart, and therefore continents apart two. Evidence to prove this has happened during time is to look at the crusts magnetic poles. Over time it's spread at the same time as the Polar Shifts, so it would go from NS to SN and then NS and so on, and will continue to.

Answer 5

Continental drift is a result of convection currents in the mantle causing the continents to move.

Answer 6

tectonic plate movements

Answer 7

Tectonic Plates