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Name:__________________________
Date/Period:__________________________
Continental Drift
Why do the coastlines of continents appear to fit together like
the pieces of a puzzle?
Continental Drift:_____________________________________________________
Evidence for Continental Drift:
Continental Drift
Why do the coastlines of continents appear to fit
together like the pieces of a puzzle?
Continental Drift: A hypothesis (now a theory),
introduced by Alfred Wegener. It states that the
continents once formed a single landmass, then broke
apart and drifted to their present location.
Evidence of Continental Drift:
 Fossils – Mesosaurus fossils were discovered in
South America and South Africa.
 Climate – The same ancient climate conditions
have been found on several continents. For
example, Greenland today is located near the
Arctic and is covered with ice, yet fossils of
tropical plants have been found on its shores.
 Rocks – The best evidence. A specific rock from
Brazil matched rock found in western Africa. Also,
limestone layers in the Appalachian Mountains of
North America are exactly like the limestone in the
Highlands of Scotland.
 Sea-Floor Spreading – As the seafloor moves apart,
magma fills the gap. Older crust is farther away
from the mid-ocean ridge than the younger crust is.