The idea that the continents were once one super-continent and subsequently moved apart is the basis of the theory of continental drift. Continental drift was first proposed as a scientific hypothesis with evidences by Alfred Wegener early in the twentieth century. Unfortunately, the evidence he was able to cite, such as similarities in coastline geographies and fossils on either side of the Atlantic, did not provide an explanation for the mechanism which caused it to happen. In Wegener's theory, the continents were somehow able to plow through the oceans. It wasn't until the mid-twentieth century that the Atlantic Ridge system was discovered. Further investigation revealed that the magnetic orientation of rock on either side of the ridge matched the orientation on the other side of the ridge, providing the proof for the mechanism that caused the continents to move apart. Basaltic magma was infilling the area on either side of the ridge to create new continental crust. Subduction of older, denser oceanic crust takes place at collision zones where it meets less dense oceanic and continental crust. The whole process is driven by gravity and heat from the Earth's interior via convection currents in the mantle. The process is no longer called continental drift, but is referred to as plate tectonics.
Alfred Wagner's theory was that the sea floor was spreading, causing the continents to 'drift'. The theory was originally tossed aside because the fact that the continents fitted together was not sufficient.
A theory about the Earths continental plates drifting apart as time passes
Cool 😎 and I like 👍 it but needs more information about the Continental The drift
the movement of the continent i :-)
erosion
I think that continetal drift replaced his theory
He looked up on his Pangaea map, and figured out about the continental drift at the part of Africa, Antarctica, and Europe.
The continental drift theory was replaced by the theory of plate tectonics.
Most scientists originally reject the theory of continental drift since it did clearly explain continents would move. This is a theory that has been established by Wegener and did not get good support initially.
earthquakes and volcanoes Do you know how to explain the theory of the continental drift?
How seafloor spreading helps to explain the theory of continental drift is that wegener couldn't explain why and waht force caused the continents to move and so seafloor spreading helps to explain the theory of continental drift because it shows the force that made the continents move and that was te only thing that wagener needed to prove his theory of continental drift............thanks
yes becouse wenger is not geologist and he could not explain the how continental drift theory
the movement of the continent i :-)
erosion
yes! it is the continental drift theory.
pie
I think that continetal drift replaced his theory
He looked up on his Pangaea map, and figured out about the continental drift at the part of Africa, Antarctica, and Europe.
The Continental Drift theory is a theory because there is no evidence to support it. Alfred Wegener developed the Continental Drift theory in the 1800's.
The continental drift theory was replaced by the theory of plate tectonics.
The fundamental problem with Wegner's theory was that he couldn't explain a mechanism for the movement of plates.