1. Theory of Continental Drift
Alfred Wegener

2. Evidence for continental drift
matching
coastlines
(jigsaw puzzle)

3. matching folded mountain ranges

4. glacier features

5. fossils (Lystrosaurus)

6. Evidence for continental drift
matching coastlines
matching folded mountains
glacier features
fossils

7. Pangaea A Greek word meaning “All-lands”
Split apart approximately 200 million years ago

8. Continental drift
What moved the continents ?
No one believed it was possible

9. Glomar Challenger
1960’s this ship took core samples of ocean floor rocks as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean
A map was produced from this data showing the rock types and ages
This map shows what moved the continents

10. Ocean floor rock ages Youngest rocks in the middle
200 million year old rocks near the shore
Sea-floor Spreading pushes the continents apart

11. Does sea floor spreading explain everything ?
If the Atlantic Ocean is spreading apart somewhere it is coming together.

12. Unexpected consequence of continental drift

13. Earthquake and Volcano Distribution
Weekly quakes map

14. Plate Tectonics Wegener’s evidence Glomar Challenger’s data
earthquake volcano map
Theory of Plate Tectonics