Ch. 1.3 Drifting Continents Alfred Wegener

I. Continental Drift A. A scientist named ___Alfred____ __Wegener__ was curious about the relationship of the continents. B. Wegener hypothesized that the ___continents___ had moved apart from a single landmass. C. His hypothesis was called _continental drift. D. He called the single landmass ___Pangaea____ (all lands)

I. Continental Drift Alfred Wegener http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1-cES1Ekto

QUESTIONS… 1. When did Pangaea exist?  It existed 300 million years ago. 2. What was the Earth like on Pangaea?  It was a tropical forest with winged insects and reptiles.

Pangaea

Question/Notes It broke apart into the continents we have today. 3. What did Pangaea break apart over 10’s of millions years ago into? It broke apart into the continents we have today. E. Wegener used evidence from __land__ _features__, __fossils_, and _climate_ _change_.

  II. Types of Evidence A. Evidence from _mountains_ and ___other__ __features___ on the continents provide evidence for continental drift. 1. Which continents “fit together like puzzle pieces”? Africa and South America fit together.

Evidence

Types of Evidence B. Evidence from ___fossils___ or traces from ancient organisms preserved in rock were found on many continents. 1. ___Glossopteris___ was a plantlike fern that lived 250 million years ago. Brain Pop = Fossils

Types of Evidence 2. Which continents had Glossopteris fossils? They were found in Africa, South America, Australia, India and Antacrtica. 3. What reptile fossils were found? Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus fossils.

Evidence C. _Wegener__ used evidence of Climate change to support his hypothesis. 1. Continents close to the equator are __warmer__. 2. Continents close to the poles are __colder__. 3. Deep scratches in the rock showed that __continental__ __glaciers__ once covered South America. 4. Climate change helps prove that the continents have __moved__. Brain Pop = Climate Types

III. Wegener’s idea rejected A. What did Wegener attempt to explain? Wegener attempted to explain how the evidence showed that the Continents were once connected.

Wegener B. Why was Wegener’s idea rejected? Wegener could not provide an explanation for the force that pushes/pulls the continents. C. What would you tell Wegener today? I would tell him….. Brain Pop = Plate Tectonics