answersLogoWhite

0

✈️

Continents

There are a total of seven continents on earth: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. This category should contain questions regarding the continents.

6,600 Questions

What continent has the driest place on Earth?

The most parched or arid continent is Antarctica which is also regarded as a desert. The continent is also icy and breezy.

The splitting of Pangaea into two continents is part of?

The splitting of Pangaea into two continents is part of the theory of plate tectonics. This theory explains how the Earth's outer layer is divided into large plates that move and interact with each other, reshaping the Earth's surface over millions of years. Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed about 335 million years ago and eventually split into Laurasia and Gondwana, which later separated into the continents we have today.

How can continents sink?

They don't actually "sink" , the only way for continets to "sink" is if the worlds ice caps melt little by little, some continets get flooded

The above answerer can't hide his ignorance. Continents can, in deed, sink. Consider the case of the continent of Zealandia. Also known as Tasmantis or the New Zealand continent. It broke away from Antarctica 80 to 130 million years ago. Then it was finally submerged when it broke away from Australia 60 to 85 million years ago. It is considered to be completely submerged as of 23 million years ago. 93% of remains beneath the Pacific Ocean.

What continents are drier than Australia?

Antarctica and Africa are continents that are generally drier than Australia. Antarctica is the driest continent, with very limited precipitation, while parts of Africa, such as the Sahara Desert, also experience extreme aridity.

What is composition of the crust under the continents?

The crust under continents is composed mainly of granite and granodiorite, which are igneous rocks. These rocks are less dense and thicker compared to the oceanic crust, providing the continents with their high elevation and stability. Additionally, the continental crust also contains sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, formed through the processes of erosion and tectonic activity.

How do convection currents cause continents to move?

convection currents due to the heat derived from radioactive decay (which is happening deep in the earth) moves the plates hence moving the continents in different directions

What theory explains how the continents rest on large plates on the earth's crust?

The theory that explains how continents rest on large plates on the Earth's crust is called plate tectonics. It states that Earth's outer shell is divided into several rigid plates that float and move on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them due to the heat generated in the Earth's interior. These plates interact with each other, resulting in various geological phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain building.

What continents use Fahrenheit?

Fahrenheit is primarily used in the United States and its territories, as well as in a few other countries like the Bahamas, Belize, and the Cayman Islands. This means that the continent of North America predominantly uses Fahrenheit for temperature measurements.

How fast do many continents move in a year?

Continents move at a rate of a few centimeters per year due to the process of plate tectonics. The movement is caused by the shifting and sliding of tectonic plates along the Earth's surface. This slow movement can result in earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges over millions of years.

What continents have had most hurricanes?

Asia is the continent struck most frequently by tropical cyclones, the generic term for storms such as hurricanes. Such storms are only called hurricanes in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans.

Who are the 2 continents with the largest areas?

The two continents with the largest areas are Asia and Africa. Asia is the largest continent in terms of land area, while Africa is the second largest.

What is the land under an ocean at the edge of a continent called?

The land under an ocean at the edge of a continent is called the continental shelf. This is the shallow submerged portion of a continent that extends from the shoreline to the continental slope.

Why only 7 continents in the world?

The concept of continents is based on geological, geographic, and cultural factors. There are seven continents commonly recognized because they are distinct landmasses separated by natural boundaries such as oceans. While some regions like Europe and Asia could technically be considered one landmass, they are culturally and historically perceived as separate continents.

What are all of earths continents?

North America, South America,Europe, Asia, Africa,Antarctica,Austrailia.

What would happen if the continents were moving?

The continents are moving. The tectonic plates that make up the continents are always in constant, but miniscule, motion. Often this movement results in earth quakes along the tectonic fault lines due to collisions between them.

What is a theory on how earths continents move?

The most widely accepted theory explaining how Earth's continents move is known as plate tectonics. This theory suggests that Earth's outer shell is divided into several large, rigid plates that float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere. These plates can move slowly over time, causing continents to drift apart or come together, earthquakes, and volcanic activity at plate boundaries.

What is the theory called for the continents joined together?

The theory is called plate tectonics, which explains how the Earth's lithosphere is divided into large plates that move and interact with each other, leading to phenomena such as continental drift and the formation of mountains and ocean basins.

What caused the original continent to break up?

The original continent, called Pangaea, broke up due to the movement of tectonic plates in a process known as plate tectonics. This movement created rifts that eventually separated the landmass into the continents we know today.

Theory that the continents are slowly moving apart from one another?

The theory is called plate tectonics, which states that the Earth's outer shell is divided into several large plates that move and interact with each other. This movement has led to the continents drifting apart over millions of years, a process known as continental drift. The movement of these plates also causes earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges.

What is the hypothesis that states that the continents were once one large mass that broke apart?

Pangea. Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift, that the landmasses of the Earth were connected and slowly drifted apart, in 1912. His justifications for his theory included how the various continents looked like they could fit together and proposed that either centrifugal force of the Earth's rotation or astronomical precession were the forces behind the drift.

How much do continents move per year?

Continents move about 2-5 centimeters per year due to the process of plate tectonics. This movement is caused by the sliding and shifting of tectonic plates along the Earth's crust. Over millions of years, this movement can lead to significant changes in the positions of continents on the planet.

Are the earths continents moving back together?

Not yet--they are still moving apart. Within the next hundred million years or so they should reverse direction and begin moving back together again. Look up "Wilson Cycle" for more information on that.

Material that melted to form the early continents was what?

The material that melted to form the early continents was primarily basaltic oceanic crust. This crust was melted by the heat generated in the Earth's interior, resulting in the formation of granitic continental crust through processes like partial melting and differentiation.

Which of these scientific disciplines records the shapes and locations of continents?

The discipline that studies the shapes and locations of continents is geology, specifically in the subfield of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics explains the movement of Earth's lithosphere plates, leading to the shifting positions and shapes of continents over geological time scales.