Plate Tectonics - Continental Drift
One of the most controversial theories of the early 1900’s has now
become accepted as scientific fact - the theory of continental drift. Let’s
learn more about this idea of Alfred Wegener’s as we check out the sites
below.
First, let’s look at the ZoomSchool site:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/
Continents.shtml
Scroll down until you see the large blue letters:
ALFRED WEGENER AND PANGAEA
a bit over half way down the page.
Look up these words on http://www.dictionary.com
credence
consisting
continent
deduction
marine
sedimentation
Look up these words using the hotlinks provided
Alfred Wegener
Jurassic Period
Gondwanaland
Laurasia
Pangaea
Eduard Suess
Continental Drift Theory
1. When was Wegener born?
2. What was his nationality?
3. What was his profession?
4. What is the theory of continental drift? What does that mean to you?
5. How would you explain continental drift to another person who has
never taken Earth Science?
6. What is Pangaea?
7. Why do you think scientists needed to create the name Pangaea?
8. What makes Gondwanaland and Laurasia different from Pangaea?
9. Can you find an online example of Pangaea, Gondwanaland and
Laurasia? What is the url?
10. Looking at the map you found above, can you see the current
continents in Pangaea? Can you see them in Gondwanaland and
Laurasia?
11. What was Eduard Suess’ occupation and nationality?
12. Where was the land bridge, in his hypothesis?
13. What were the two fossils that led credence to the continental drift
theory?
Now visit this website:
http://www.beyondbooks.com/ear82/2a.asp
or go to www.beyondbooks.com, click on Earth Science, click on Earth
Science 2, then click on chapter 2a.
14. Look at the picture. Can you think of other areas of the world that
look as if they could fit together? What are they?
15. Why are fossils of tropical plants sometimes found in regions with
cold climates, like the fern found in Antartica?
16. Where is the rest of the Appalachian mountain chain?
17. Why was it so hard for Wegener’s ideas to gain acceptance?