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Was Wegener's continental drift hypothesis weakened because of viable mechanism for moving the continents was lacking?
Definitely. Wegener seems to have believed that the continents plowed through the oceanic crust like a ship plowing through water. The geologists of the day couldn't see how that could happen, mainly because it can't.
Eventually, though, they came to realize that what's really happening is that the oceanic crust is moving on its own and carrying the continents with it. That's a lot more rational, but figuring that out required knowing that there are mid-ocean ridges, with lots of volcanic activity; that the oceanic crust is newest at those ridges and older as you get farther away; knowledge of where earthquakes occur worldwide; and many, many other things that we only first encountered in the era around World War II, long after Wegener was dead, and only started to get a real handle on decades after even that.
What else can I help you with?
What is wegeners hypothesis for continental drift?
Wegener's hypothesis for continental drift, proposed in the early 20th century, suggests that continents were once part of a single supercontinent called Pangaea, which gradually broke apart and drifted to their current positions. He based his hypothesis on evidence such as the fit of continental coastlines, similar geological features across continents, and fossil correlations. Despite presenting compelling evidence, Wegener's theory was initially met with skepticism due to the lack of a mechanism to explain how continents could move. It wasn't until the development of the theory of plate tectonics that his ideas gained widespread acceptance.
What was the fatal weakness in wegeners theory?
One of the fatal weaknesses in Wegener's theory of continental drift was the lack of a plausible mechanism to explain how continents could move through the solid rock of Earth's mantle. Additionally, Wegener was unable to adequately explain what forces could be responsible for moving the continents.
Why was the wegeners hypothesis o the continental drift not widely accepted at the time it was proposed?
Although it seemed to make a lot of sense, there was no known proof of HOW the continents would drift. It wasn't until years later that we gained knowledge of plate tectonics, which bolstered Wegener's hypothesis.
What discovery led scientists to accept Wegeners continental drift hypothesis?
One day while scientists were exploring the sea floor, they discovered sea-floor spreading, thus proving Wegener's hypothesis to be correct.
Why was wegeners theory so different?
Wegener's theory of continental drift was different because it proposed that continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea and drifted apart over time. This was a radical idea at the time as it challenged the established belief of stationary continents. Wegener lacked a plausible mechanism to explain how continents moved, which led to skepticism from the scientific community until the development of plate tectonics theory.
Wegeners hypothesis of continental drift was replaced in 1967 by which theory that supported his idea continents move?
plate tectonics
What was the reason wegeners continental drift hypothesis was rejected?
His evidence was incorrect.
Wegeners hypothesis of continental drift was finally confirmed by?
evidence supporting the idea of sea-floor spreading.
What was the main reason wegeners continental drift was rejected?
He could not provide a wholly acceptable explanation for the movement of the continents.
What was the fatal weakness in wegeners theory?
One of the fatal weaknesses in Wegener's theory of continental drift was the lack of a plausible mechanism to explain how continents could move through the solid rock of Earth's mantle. Additionally, Wegener was unable to adequately explain what forces could be responsible for moving the continents.
How did the discovery of Glossopteris support Wegeners continental drift hypothesis?
Because identical fossils were found on two continents far apart, it suggested that at one time the two landmasses were joined together. In other cases of lands separated by far less distance, plants did not propagate across the divide.
Why was the wegeners hypothesis o the continental drift not widely accepted at the time it was proposed?
Although it seemed to make a lot of sense, there was no known proof of HOW the continents would drift. It wasn't until years later that we gained knowledge of plate tectonics, which bolstered Wegener's hypothesis.
What was the weakness of wegeners proposal of continental drift?
One weakness of Wegener's proposal of continental drift was the lack of a mechanism to explain how continents could move. Additionally, Wegener's theory was not widely accepted at the time due to insufficient supporting evidence and the reluctance of the scientific community to accept such a radical idea.
Why was wegeners theory of continental drift?
While geological research during the sixties had shed new light into the theory, it was J. Tuzo Wilson's proposal of a mechanism for continental drift what led to widespread acceptance of the theory. Proposing a feasible mechanism was something Wegener himself had failed to do, he had only proposed some evidence (complementary Coastlines and fossil distributions across continents.) and falsified mechanisms (like Earth's centrifugal pseudoforce).
How did discovery of glossopteris support Wegeners continental drift hypothesis?
Because identical fossils were found on two continents far apart, it suggested that at one time the two landmasses were joined together. In other cases of lands separated by far less distance, plants did not propagate across the divide.
What evidence did Wegeners have to support his theory?
Fossils support his hypothesis.
What discovery led scientists to accept Wegeners continental drift hypothesis?
One day while scientists were exploring the sea floor, they discovered sea-floor spreading, thus proving Wegener's hypothesis to be correct.
