Support for Wegener’s Continental Drift Hypothesis
Inquiry Activity Procedures
You have read about Wegener’s Continental Drift Hypothesis and know that scientists objected to it
because he could not measure the speed of the continents’ movement or explain where the forces that
were needed to move the continents came from. Keep this in mind as you complete this activity.
Part 1
Materials
 250 ml beaker filled with water
 Screen stand
 Candle
 Food coloring with pipette/dropper
 Goggles
Procedure
1. Adjust the candle if necessary so that the flame of the candle is as close as possible to the
bottom of the screen.
2. Place the beaker with water on top of the screen and position the candle under the bottom right
“corner” of the beaker.
3. Make sure long hair is tied back, long sleeves are rolled up and that you and your shoulder partner
are wearing goggles.
4. Ask the Teacher to check your set-up and to light the candle.
5. Wait a few minutes to give the water time to warm up.
6. Use the pipette to add 3 drops of food coloring to the upper left “corner” of the beaker (This
should be diagonally across the beaker from the location of the flame.)
7. Observe how the food coloring moves and record your observations on the Student Observations
and Analysis worksheet.
Part 2
Materials
 Plastic bin ½ filled with water
 Eyedropper bottle
 Colored ice cube
 5-6 pieces of foam
Procedure
1. Place the bin, ½ filled with water, on your table.
2. Take the eyedropper bottle to the Teacher, who will fill it with hot colored water. Use the
plastic tray and test tube holder to take the water back to your table.
3. Use another plastic tray/container to carry a blue ice cube to your table.
4. Place the ice cube into the bin at the left end.
5. Submerge the bottle with colored hot water on the bottom of the bin so that the opening of the
bottle is against the right end of the container. Be sure to follow the directions given by the
Teacher during the demonstration AND remember that the bottle contains HOT water.
6. Gently lay the foam pieces on top of the water so that they are spread out across the surface.
Once you have added the foam to the bin, be careful not to disturb it by bumping the table or
moving the bin. Observe carefully!
8. Observe what is happening to the colored water in the bin and to the foam pieces on top. Record
your observations on the Student Observations and Analysis worksheet.
Name: ___________________________________ Date: _____________________ Period: ______
Support for Wegener’s Continental Drift Hypothesis
Student Observations and Analysis worksheet
Part 1:
Observations:
When the colored water is placed into the beaker, it ______________________________________
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Analysis Questions:
1. Why do you think the moved where it did when it was first placed into the beaker?
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2. What do you think caused the water to change direction?
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3. Read section 304 in the Science Saurus textbook.
a. Identify the method of heat transfer that is simulated by this procedure.
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b. Identify the name given to the motion of the water.
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c. Use information from your reading to explain what causes the motion of the colored water.
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4. Explain how Wegener might have used this as evidence to further support his theory of
Continental Drift.
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Part 2:
Observations:
When the hot colored water leaves the bottle, it _________________________________________
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The water from the melting ice cube moves _____________________________________________
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The foam pieces floating on the surface of the water ______________________________________
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Analysis Question:
1. What do the foam pieces represent in the model?
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2. What does the water and its movement represent?
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3. Read page 206 in the Earth Science textbook. Explain how Wegener could have used the
principles illustrated in your simulation to address the unanswered questions of his fellow
scientists.
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