How do mid ocean ridges support the idea of continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics?
Mid-ocean ridges are underwater mountain ranges where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity. As the magma rises, it creates new crust that pushes the existing plates apart, providing evidence for seafloor spreading and supporting the theory of plate tectonics. The movement of these plates at mid-ocean ridges helps explain how continents have drifted and repositioned over geological time scales.
Who made fun of Alfred Wegener's Drift Theory?
Many geologists and scientists at the time made fun of Alfred Wegener's Drift Theory, dismissing it as implausible and unscientific. Wegener's theory of continental drift proposed that the continents were once connected and drifted apart over time, which was not widely accepted until much later when the theory of plate tectonics was formulated.
What two other pieces of evidence did wegener use to support his theory of continental drift?
In addition to matching coastlines, Wegener used similarities in rock formations and mountain ranges across different continents as evidence for his theory of continental drift. He also noted similarities in the distribution of fossils on separate continents, suggesting that the same species were once connected when the continents were joined.
What evidence did Alfred wegener have to support his theory?
Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift was supported by several lines of evidence, including the matching coastlines of different continents, similarities in rock formations and mountain ranges across continents, and the distribution of fossils of similar species on different continents. He also observed the fit of the continents like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and the presence of ancient glacial deposits in regions that are now at different latitudes.
The fossil that was found on different continents and used to support the theory of continental drift is the Mesosaurus. This extinct freshwater reptile had limited swimming abilities, making it unlikely that it could have crossed vast oceans. Its distribution on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean provided evidence of land connections that later formed the basis for the theory of continental drift.
Is fossil evidence used to support continental drift hypothesis?
Yes, fossil evidence such as similar plant and animal species found on separate continents has been used to support the continental drift hypothesis. The distribution of fossils across continents suggests that these land masses were once connected and later moved apart.
How continental drift theory became unified plate tectonic theory?
Continental drift theory proposed that continents had drifted apart due to tectonic forces, while plate tectonic theory expanded this idea to include the concept of lithospheric plates moving over the Earth's mantle. Through advancements in technology and the accumulation of evidence from various scientific fields, the two theories were unified into plate tectonics, which explains the movement of Earth's lithosphere and the formation of features like mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
What was Alfred wegeners evidence?
Alfred Wegener's evidence for the theory of continental drift included matching coastlines on different continents, similar rock formations and mountain ranges across continents, and the presence of identical fossils on separate continents. He also noted the jigsaw-like fit of South America and Africa and the distribution of climatic zones in ways that made more sense if the continents were once connected.
Hypothesis of continental drift?
The hypothesis of continental drift suggests that continents were once joined together in a single landmass called Pangaea and have since drifted apart to their current positions. This theory was proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century and is supported by evidence such as matching geological formations, fossils, and the fit of continental coastlines.
Alfred Wegener used fossil evidence (matching plant and animal species across continents), geological evidence (similar rock formations and mountain ranges on different continents), climate evidence (glacial deposits and ancient climate patterns that suggested continents were once connected), and fit of continents (the way the continents seem to fit together like a puzzle) to support his hypothesis of continental drift.
How was plate tectonics proven through continental drift?
Plate tectonics was proven through continental drift using evidence such as the fit of the continents, similar rock formations and fossils on different continents, matching mountain ranges, and the presence of mid-ocean ridges and deep ocean trenches. These pieces of evidence supported the idea that continents were once connected and have since moved apart due to the movement of the tectonic plates.
Is the west wind drift a warm or cold ocean current?
The West Wind Drift, also known as Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), is a cold current.
The above answer is wrong. The ACC is known by many names including "The West Wind Drift" is either a cold or warm current. You can check the information via this website that I found:http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/fahan_mi_shipwrecks/infohut/acc.htm
What was Alfred wegener's evidence for his theory on continental drift?
Alfred Wegener's evidence for continental drift included the fit of the continents like puzzle pieces, the distribution of plant and animal fossils across continents, similarities in rock formations and mountain ranges, and evidence of past glaciations in regions that are now tropical. These observations led him to propose the theory of Pangea and the idea that continents were once joined together in a supercontinent.
How does seafloor spreading help scientists explain continental drift?
If one can prove that the sea floor spreads out from the mid oceanic ridges, then logically the continents must be moving apart to accommodate the spreading. Conversely there must also be places where sea floor is being destroyed if the Earth is to stay the same size.
Why do you think people didnt believ his continental drift theory when wagener first explained it?
People initially did not believe Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory because he lacked a mechanism to explain how continents could move across the Earth's surface. Additionally, there was insufficient evidence at the time to support his theory. It was not until the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s that Wegener's ideas gained widespread acceptance.
Cause you started with Pangaea a large super continent which slowly broke apart and each one started drifting. Now plate tectonics is how the collisions occur and when and WHY. WHY are they colliding?, because they have drifted away from each other and are now colliding back together again. And also each individual plate will break and come together again.
What observation led albert wegener to develop the hypothesis of a centental drift?
Wegener first noticed that it looked like South America coastline could "fit" into Africa's. After that he analysed both their continental shelve's and this showed an even closer fit. The thrid observation that brought about his theory of continental drift was that he found fossils of the same animals (can't remember any names off the top of my head sorry) in both Argentina and east Somalia, Africa.
The animal is the Mesosaurus, a fossil known to live 270 million years ago. This animal was very unlikely to swim across the ocean, so the continents had to conjoined one time in the past. Hope this helps :)
Europe is warmer than it should be given its latitude because of the N.A.D. The North Atlantic Drift is an underwater current that forces warm water from the Carribean, east all the way to the Western end of Eurasia. In addition, the N.A.D. brings with it prevailing winds which lose most of its heat when they cross Portugual. Another example of currency is Lake Michigan. Since water changes temperature slowly, the closer you are to the lake in the summer the cooler it is and the closer you are to the lake in the winter the warmer it is. Therefore, Europe is warmer than it should be due to climactic changes brought about by the N.A.D.
Observer drift is when two people who are observing something start agreeing with each other more and more often. For instance, if two teachers are rating final projects, and one of them rates more strictly than the other and they both know that, then the strict one might start thinking that he or she is too strict and the easy one might think he or she is not strict enough, and so they will change the way they rate things to be more similar. In teaching, sometimes this is a good thing, because you get more consistent grades, but in psychology, where a lot depends on the observer being unbiased, it is usually a bad thing because it tends to sway the results one way or another and corrupt the results of an experiment.
How did Wegener use fossil evidence to support his hypothesis?
Wegener used the presence of the same fossil species on continents that are now widely separated as evidence for his hypothesis of continental drift. He argued that these fossils could only have come from animals that were able to move, ruling out the possibility of passive transport by ocean currents. This supported his idea that the continents were once connected and later drifted apart.
What paleoclimatic evidence supports continental drift?
Paleoclimatic evidence supporting continental drift includes the matching of certain rock formations, geological structures, and fossil distribution on continents now separated by vast oceans. For example, the presence of glacial deposits and coal seams that match across continents provides evidence that these landmasses were once connected. Additionally, the alignment of ancient climatic belts and the distribution of certain plant and animal species further support the theory of continental drift.
Where did wegener look for proof that would support his theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener looked for several lines of evidence to support his theory of continental drift, including the fit of the continents like puzzle pieces, matching geological formations across continents, similarities in fossils and plants, and evidence from paleoclimate data such as glacial deposits.
What were the four types of evidence Wegener showed to prove his theory?
Wegener showed evidence of similar rock formations and mountain ranges on different continents, evidence of matching plant and animal fossils on different continents, evidence of matching glacial deposits on different continents, and evidence of matching ancient climates on different continents to support his theory of continental drift.
One type of evidence that supports Wegener and continental drift hypothesis is the existence of .?
Fossil evidence such as the presence of identical plant and animal species on continents separated by oceans. This suggests that these continents were once connected and later drifted apart.