Plate Tectonics - Continental Drift

Front

What is the theory of continental drift?

Back

The theory that continents have moved over geological time from a single supercontinent to their current locations.

Front

Who proposed the theory of continental drift?

Back

Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift in 1912.

Front

What evidence did Wegener provide for continental drift?

Back

Fossil evidence, geological similarities, and the fit of continental coastlines.

Front

Why was Wegener's theory initially rejected?

Back

He could not explain the mechanism of how continents moved.

Front

What are tectonic plates?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact at their boundaries.

Front

What drives the movement of tectonic plates?

Back

Convection currents in the mantle beneath the Earth's crust.

Front

What is plate tectonics?

Back

The scientific theory that describes the large-scale movements of Earth's lithosphere.

Front

What is subduction?

Back

The process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Front

What is sea floor spreading?

Back

The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and older crust is pushed away.

Front

What role do glaciers play in supporting continental drift?

Back

Glacial scars and deposits provide evidence that continents were once connected in colder climates.