Note Taking Guide Continental Drift Powerpoint
NAME:
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PART I Wegner and his theory:
Slide 2:
What is the name of the man who formed the hypothesis that continents had
moved?
Slide 3:
Describe Wegner’s theory:
Slide 4:
What was the name he gave to his “super-continent”
What was the name he gave to his “theory”
PART II Evidence: (3 Kinds to know: Landforms, Fossils and Climate)
Slide 5: Landform Evidence
A. Which continents fit together like “puzzle pieces” adding strength to his
theory?
and
.
B. What other landform evidence lined up between South America and Africa?
C. What kind of field also matched up between Europe and North America.
.
Slide 6: Fossil Evidence
A. A fossil is a trace of an organism preserved in a
.
B. Fossils of the reptiles Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus were found in places
now separated by
.
C. What is another example of a fossils found on multiple continents?
Slide 8: Climate Evidence
A. A tropical plant is one that needs a warm climate to survive. Fossils of tropical
plants were found on the continent:
.
B. Scientists also found deep scratches on rocks on the continent of South Africa.
These scratches indicate the presence of
.
Part III Rejection of Wegner’s Hypotheses:
Slide 10
A. The biggest reason Wegner’s Hypothesis was rejected by the Scientific
community is he could not provide evidence for the forces that
or
the continents.
B. An alternate theory at the time was that the earth was slowly
and
.
C. Wegner disagreed with this proposal because of the location of mountain
ranges. Mountain ranges appear in the
bands along the edge of
.
Slide 11
Do Scientists now have additional evidence to support Wegner’s theory? YES/NO (Circle one)
Follow Up Questions:
1. What is the significance of finding fossil remains of Mesosaurs and Lystrosaurs on separate
continents?
2. Why is it significant that tropical plants fossils were found in Antartica?
3. Why is it significant that scratches were found on rocks in South Africa? The significance is that
these scratches were made by glaciers.
4. How did Wegner use the location of mountain ranges to support his theory?
5. Why is Continental Drift called a “theory”
6. How was Wegner’s idea received at the time?
7. Describe the three categories of evidence Wegner used to support his theory?