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1.3 Drifting Continents. I. The Theory of Continental Drift. A. Alfred Wegener, German scientist formed a hypothesis on Earth’s continents. B. Wegener’s hypothesis was that all the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass and have since drifted apart.
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I. The Theory of Continental Drift • A. Alfred Wegener, German scientist formed a hypothesis on Earth’s continents. • B. Wegener’s hypothesis was that all the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass and have since drifted apart
C. Pangaea = all lands. • D. Continental drift - the continents slowly move over Earth’s surface • E. Evidence From Landforms Mountain ranges in South Africa lined up with a range in South America.
F. Evidence from Fossils - Fossils are any trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved in rock. Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus fossils have been found in Africa and South America.
G. Evidence from Climate: Glaciers were found in South America, Africa, India, Australia, Antarctica
How does the location of the continent affect it’s climate? • As a continent moves closer to the equator it becomes warmer. • As a continent moves closer to the poles it becomes colder.
II. Scientists Reject Wegener’s Theory • Wegener thought that mountains formed when drifting continents collided, causing their edges to crumple and fold. • Mountains usually occur in narrow bands along the edges of continents, as you would expect if the collision of continents forms mountains.