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magma (molten rock) under the crust is going in circles ~ it gets hot rises up then cools down and goes back down again and because it goes in circles its pulling the plates apart and that's whats making then drift slowly apart.

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What events led scientists to accept Continental drift?

Scientists accepted continental drift after observations of matching geological formations and fossils on different continents, the discovery of mid-ocean ridges and magnetic striping on the ocean floor, and the development of plate tectonics theory to explain these phenomena. This provided a comprehensive explanation for the movement of continents over time.


Is this a run-on or comma splice by the 1970s scientists have accepted the idea of moving continents today geologists refer to this movement as a plate tectonics.?

This is a run-on sentence because two independent clauses ("By the 1970s scientists have accepted the idea of moving continents" and "Today geologists refer to this movement as plate tectonics") are connected without proper punctuation or conjunction. To correct it, you could separate the clauses into two sentences or use a semicolon to connect them.


What drives the process of plate tectonicsthe currentlyrics accepted explanation for the movement of drifting continents?

The driving force behind plate tectonics is thought to be mantle convection - the movement of heat within Earth's mantle that causes the plates to move. This process involves the transfer of heat energy from the Earth's core to the surface, creating convection currents that move the plates.


Why is plate tectonics a theory and not a law?

Despite what Creationist would have you believe (when debating other topics) theory does not mean hypothesis or speculation. In science, a theory is an explanation of the natural world that is well-substantiated by evidence. This includes a number of explanations that are so well-substantiated by evidence that there is virtually no doubt among scientists that it is the correct explanation. These include the theory of plate tectonics, the thoery of evolution, atomic theory, and germ theory.


Which was an idea used to dispute the theory of plate technonics?

One idea that was used to dispute the theory of plate tectonics was the belief in fixed continents. Some scientists thought that continents were stationary and did not move, which was contrary to the idea that they were drifting on the Earth's surface.

Related Questions

What drives the process of plates tectonics the currently accepted explanation for the movement of drifting continents?

Unequal heat distribution.


What drives the process of plate tectonics the currently accepted explanation for the movements of drifting continents?

Unequal heat distribution.


Which process is currently accepted explanation of the movement of drifting continents?

the convection currents in the mantle under the earths curst is moving the broken plates in earths lithosphere causing the plates slide across the lithosphere. this process is called tectonics. (jon lay wrote this,)


Why were Wegener's ideas not immediately accepted by the scientific community?

Wegener's ideas of continental drift were not immediately accepted by the scientific community because he did not have a satisfactory explanation for the mechanism that could move continents. Additionally, his hypothesis was contrary to the prevailing scientific beliefs at the time, which focused on fixed continents and seafloor spreading. It wasn't until the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s that Wegener's ideas gained wider acceptance.


What events led scientists to accept Continental drift?

Scientists accepted continental drift after observations of matching geological formations and fossils on different continents, the discovery of mid-ocean ridges and magnetic striping on the ocean floor, and the development of plate tectonics theory to explain these phenomena. This provided a comprehensive explanation for the movement of continents over time.


Is this a run-on or comma splice by the 1970s scientists have accepted the idea of moving continents today geologists refer to this movement as a plate tectonics.?

This is a run-on sentence because two independent clauses ("By the 1970s scientists have accepted the idea of moving continents" and "Today geologists refer to this movement as plate tectonics") are connected without proper punctuation or conjunction. To correct it, you could separate the clauses into two sentences or use a semicolon to connect them.


Why did it take another 50 years for the continental drift to be accepted?

The idea of continental drift faced resistance due to lack of a plausible mechanism explaining how continents could move. It wasn't until the development of plate tectonics theory in the 1960s that provided a solid explanation for how continents move, leading to widespread acceptance. Additionally, scientific paradigms can take time to shift as new evidence accumulates and consensus builds within the scientific community.


When was the plate tectonics theory accepted?

it wasnt accepted. Wegener's theory of continetal drift wasnt accepted. the theory of plate tectonics was created when scientists discovered about sea floor spreading and magnetic reversals. but i dont know when the theory of plate tectonics was created. so you can ask about that.


What drives the process of plate tectonicsthe currentlyrics accepted explanation for the movement of drifting continents?

The driving force behind plate tectonics is thought to be mantle convection - the movement of heat within Earth's mantle that causes the plates to move. This process involves the transfer of heat energy from the Earth's core to the surface, creating convection currents that move the plates.


Why is plate tectonics a theory and not a law?

Despite what Creationist would have you believe (when debating other topics) theory does not mean hypothesis or speculation. In science, a theory is an explanation of the natural world that is well-substantiated by evidence. This includes a number of explanations that are so well-substantiated by evidence that there is virtually no doubt among scientists that it is the correct explanation. These include the theory of plate tectonics, the thoery of evolution, atomic theory, and germ theory.


What is widely accepted explanation based on experimental result?

A theory is a widely accepted explanation based on experimental results.


What is the theory that the earths crust is broken into pieces?

Are you referring to plate tectonics whichI believe is more than a theory. At one time all the continents were together in a land mass called Pangea. Sea floor spreading caused them to separate forming the present continents which generally look like a jig-saw puzzle you can put together. It was Alfred Wagner, a German, who first pointed this out in 1911 though the reason s were not known at the time.