History of the Earth

Who came up with the idea that all the continents were once joined together?

• Albert Einstein

• Charles Darwin

• Alfred Wegener

• Werner Heisenberg

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Why do the coastlines of Africa and South America appear to fit together so well?

• Africa and South America used to be joined together, but split apart long ago.

• Ocean currents on either side of the Atlantic have eroded the coastlines into the same shape.

• Africa and South America are drifting towards each other and will soon fit together perfectly.

• The coastlines do NOT seem to match.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The model shows seafloor spreading. Each of the labels shows a different section of crust, some newer and some older. Where would the oldest rock be found?

• Section L

• Section N

• Section M

• Section O

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Identify the plate boundary in the model.

• Divergent Boundary

• Transform Plate Boundary

• Convergent Boundary

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Lystrosaurus was a slow-moving, plant-eating reptile that lived over 250 million years ago. Fossils of Lystrosaurus have been found in the brown areas shown below (The brown areas are on Africa, Antarctica, and India). How is this explained by the existence of Pangaea?

• Lystrosaurus swam across the oceans from one continent to another.

• Bridges once crossed oceans to connect Africa, Antarctica, and India.

• Lystrosaurus drifted on rafts of vegetation from one continent to another.

• Africa, Antarctica, and India used to be joined together into a single landmass.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The tectonic plates are always moving.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What is the theory of plate tectonics?

• The theory that describes how Earth's outer layers is broken up into moving tectonic plates

• All of the continents were once apart of a Super Continent called Panthalassa

• Tectonic plates stay in one place

• All of the plates were once a solid plate until they broke up and moved to their current position

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What new technology enables scientists to track tectonic plate movement?

• The new Iphone

• GPS tracking

• A new smartwatch

• The new rover going to Mars called Perserverance

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which of the following causes Earth's tectonic plates to move?

• Energy from the Sun

• Magnetic Pole Reversal

• Convection currents in the mantle

• Faults in Mountain Ranges

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What evidence supports the idea that all the continents were once joined together?

• Similar rock layers in mountains found on different continents.

• The same fossils found on different continents

• The age of rocks on the seafloor because if the plates were not moving the rock would all be the same age.

• The coastlines fit together like puzzle pieces.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3