Unit 2: Lesson 1 Continental Drift

What is the basic concept of Continental Drift?

• The idea that Earth's continents were once joined in one piece of land and gradually drifted apart

• The idea that Earth's continents were always separate and never moved

• The idea that Earth's continents were created by tectonic plate collisions

• The idea that Earth's continents were formed by volcanic activity

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

Who proposed the theory of Continental Drift?

• Galileo Galilei

• Alfred Wegener

• Charles Darwin

• Isaac Newton

What evidence did Alfred Wegener use to support his theory?

• Meteor showers, comets, and asteroids

• Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis

• Tidal waves, hurricanes, and tornadoes

• Matching coastlines, fossils, and rock formations

Which continents did Alfred Wegener identify as fitting together like a puzzle?

• Europe and Asia

• Antarctica and India

• Africa and South America

• North America and Australia

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

What is the primary evidence for Continental Drift?

• The discovery of glacial grooves on multiple continents

• The presence of coal beds in Antarctica

• The matching rock formations in Australia, South America, Africa, India, and Antarctica

• The puzzle-like nature of continents

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Which type of evidence suggests that South America, Africa, India, and Australia were once closer to the South Pole?

• Coal deposits

• Glacial features

• Rock formations

• Fossil evidence

What does the presence of coal beds in Antarctica indicate?

• A warmer and wetter past climate in Antarctica

• A colder and drier past climate in Antarctica

• The presence of ancient forests in Antarctica

• The absence of any past climate change in Antarctica

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What do the fossils of Glossopteris plant suggest?

• A past connection of continents within Pangaea

• The evolution of plant species over time

• The existence of a lost civilization

• The impact of climate change on plant distribution

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

What challenges did Wegener's continental drift theory face?

• The difficulty in conducting experiments and collecting data

• The opposition from other scientists and the lack of public interest

• The lack of evidence for matching coastlines, fossils, and rock formations

• The slow nature of the process, unknown forces driving movement, and the belief that the mantle was solid rock

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NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

What prevented further evidence during Wegener's lifetime?

• Lack of support from the government

• Lack of funding for research

• Lack of tools and knowledge about seafloor

• Lack of interest from the scientific community