what was alfred wegener’s hypothesis? what did wegener propose to be true in his 1915 book titled,...
TRANSCRIPT
Continental Drift Theory
What was Alfred Wegener’s hypothesis?
What did Wegener propose to be true in his 1915 book titled, The Origin of Continents and Oceans?
Pangaea = Super ContinentTheorized that all of
the continents were together as one large landmass, 300 million years ago.
Over time, the continents split into separate pieces and shifted around the world.
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
Pangaea – Splitting Apart
The Continental Drift Theory was not an original idea. Abraham Ortelius first announced his theory in 1596.
What set Alfred Wegener apart from his predecessors and stirried up the scientific community?
Wegener had evidence to support his theory
1) Coastlines and Landforms
The continents fit together like a puzzle and landforms like mountain chains also join together when the pieces are matched up.
1) Coastlines and Landforms
Notice the mountain chains in purple
1) Coastlines and Landforms
When the continents are reassembled, the mountain chains form a continuous belt, thus having the same rock types, structures and rock ages.
1) Coastlines and LandformsHere is a better look
at the landform features (mountains)
2) ClimateCoal that is formed in
warm swampy areas was found in Antarctica.
Signs of glacial scarring found in rocks of mild climates.
Tropical plant fossils found on island in the Arctic Ocean.
Glacial features of the same age found in areas that would match up if landmass pieced together
3) Fossils – Mesosaurus
3) Fossils – All 4 in one mapCynognathus -
land reptile
Lystrosaurus – land reptile
Mesosaurus – freshwater reptile
Glossopteris - fern
Problem!
Wegener couldn’t explain HOW the continents moved and the theory was shelved for several years.
Task #1
Use the first letter of the four fossils mentioned earlier (C, M, L, G) to create a cast or mold of an imaginary Pangaea fossil.
Preparing for Task #2Synthesize – Take two
different things and explain relationships between the two
Example #1: Gum and the weathering of rocks
Example #2: Newspaper and soil composition
Task #2
Using what you know about the human body and the Continental Drift Theory, synthesize the two to make connections between their relationship.