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The Earth is made up of Tectonic Plates, these are large sections of land (Continental Plates) or ocean (Oceanic Plates). The Mantle (magma beneath the Earth's crust) is heated from the core of the Earth, where it is hottest, causing a convection current, this is when a fluid (magma in this case) is heated unevenly and the hot fluid rises, causing the cooler fluid to sink in its place (forming a circular current of heating, rising, cooling and sinking.)

This current effectively drags the Tectonic Plates along in differenbt directions to each other, causing them to move apart or together, sometimes even alongside each other.

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What is the relationship between Pangaea and today's continents?

Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed around 300 million years ago. It eventually broke apart into the continents we have today due to the movement of tectonic plates. The continents have since drifted to their current positions, shaping the Earth's geography.


How continental drift explains today's position of the continents.?

Magnetic Reversals


Which continents of today were a part of Gondwanaland?

The continents of South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Arabian Peninsula were all part of Gondwanaland. Today, these landmasses have drifted apart and now form separate continents.


What are the continents of today?

Asia, Africa, Antarctica, South America, North America, Australia, Europe


What are the evidences of the movents of the continents?

The evidence that the continents are moving today is actually just a theory, but is accepted to be true. This theory is known as Continental Drift and is described as the continents belonging to tectonic plates, which are basically floating on the Earth's surface. Evidence to prove such is that the continents all fit together like a jigsaw puzzle and related or the same plant or animal species are located on separated continents, suggesting that they were all once connected to allow the animals to roam and the plants to spread. If they have moved in the past, they must still be moving today, and there are projected paths the continents are taking.

Related Questions

How many continents are today in the year 2011?

there are seven continents in the earth in 2011 right now


What was the name of the one super continent that theoretically split into today's continents?

The supercontinent that split into today's continents is called Pangaea. It is believed to have been a single landmass around 335 million years ago before breaking apart into the continents we have today.


Why do you think our plants continents look the way they do today?

The shape of the continents is mainly due to water erosion.


A giant landmass from which today's continents were formed?

pangea


Where is Islam today continents and countries?

Northern Africa


Why are the continents located where they are todAY?

The movement of tectonic plates over millions of years has shaped the continents' current positions. This process, known as plate tectonics, causes continents to drift apart, collide, and converge. The distribution of continents we see today is a result of this ongoing movement.


Which continents of today were part of gondwana land?

The continents that were part of Gondwana land are Australia, Antarctica and South America.


Are that earth continents still moving today?

Yes, Earth's continents are still moving today due to plate tectonics. This movement is very slow, with continents drifting at a rate of a few centimeters per year. The movement of continents causes earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges.


Today glaciers are found on all continents EXCEPT?

Australia.Australia


What are the names the mega-continents?

The two main mega-continents in Earth's history are Laurasia and Gondwana. These mega-continents formed through the movement of tectonic plates and eventually broke apart to form the continents we know today.


What is an example of pangea?

An example of a Pangea is the earth. The continents were all part of a supercontinent hundreds of millions of years ago. Once the continents split, there were 7 continents that we know today.


What does Pangaea and how does it relate to the continents today?

Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed about 335 million years ago. It is believed to have later broken apart into the continents we know today due to the movement of tectonic plates. This theory of continental drift helps explain the similarities in geology and fossil evidence found across different continents.