1. Chapter 3 Section 1: Drifting Continents

2. 1. What is Wegener’s hypothesis?
That all of the continents were once joined together is a single landmass and have since drifted apart.
2. Wegener’s idea that the continents slowly moved over Earth’s surface became known as….
The Continental Drift Theory

3. 3. What is Pangaea? The continents were once joined together in a supercontinent, or single landmass, about 300 million years ago.
4. What are the three types of evidence that Wegener used to prove this hypothesis?
1. Landforms
2. Fossils
3. Climate

4. How did Wegener use the following to prove his hypothesis?
5. Evidence from land features:
Folded mountains of South America and Africa match up
Coal fields of Europe and North America line up

5. 6. Evidence from fossils:
- Glossopteris (fern like plant) found in Africa, South America, Australia, India, and Antarctica. These landmasses are separated by oceans.
- Freshwater reptiles Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus found in places now separated by oceans. Neither reptile could have swum great distances across salt water.
Mesosaurus- South America and Africa
Lystosaurus- Africa, Madagascar, India and Antarctica

6. 7. Evidence from Climate:
- Fossils of tropical plants are found on Spitsbergen, an island in the Arctic Ocean
-Tropical fossils found in polar areas, and glacier evidence found in warmer climates
Deep scratches left by glaciers have been found in South Africa

7. 8. Why was Wegener’s hypothesis rejected?
He could not explain how continental drift took place. *What force could move a continent? * What are the continents floating on?
9. What is a fossil?
Any trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved in rock.
Fossils are preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past.

8. Directions: Fill in the blanks using the following words: fossil, Pangaea, Continental Drift
the hypothesis that the continents slowly move across Earth’s surface.
preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past.
the name of the single landmass that began to break apart more than 200 million years ago and gave rise to today’s continents.

9. Directions: Mix and Match the sentences with the following words: a
Directions: Mix and Match the sentences with the following words: a. continental drift b. fossil c. Pangaea
is the name of the single landmass that began to break apart more than 200 million years ago and gave rise to today’s continents.
is the hypothesis that the continents slowly move across Earth’s surface.
are preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past.

10. A little Science Humor!