Continental drift theory

1. PLATE TECTONICS GROUP III EARTH
SCIENCE

2. OBJECTIVE
 Discuss some of the evidence of the continental
drift and the role of Alfred Wegener in promoting
this theory.
At the end of the discussion the students
will be able to;

3. CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY

4. CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
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The continental drift hypothesis was developed by mostly
Alfred Wegener in the early part of 20th century.
He said that the continents move around the Earth’s
surface and they were once joined together as a single
super continent.
Continents can be piece together like a jigsaw puzzle.
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In ancient Greek it means all Earth
Continent were once united as a single supercontinent.

5. EVIDENCE OF CONTINENTAL
DRIFT
1. Rocks and mountain rages - Mountain rages with the same rock
types, structures, and age are now on the opposite side of Atlantic
oceans.
Ex. Appalachians of easter United States and Canada are just like the
mountain rages in the eastern Greenland, Ireland, Great Britain, and
Norway.

6. A.
B.

7. EVIDENCE OF CONTINENTAL
DRIFT
2. Distribution of ancient fossils - Ancient fossils of
the same species of extinct plants and animals are
found in rocks of the same age but on the
continent that are now widely separated.

8. 
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Fossils of the seed fern
Glossepteris were too heavy
to be carried so far by wind.
Mesosaurus a swimming
reptile but could only swim
at fresh water.
Cynognathus & Lystrosaurus
Land reptiles and were
unable to swim at fresh
water

9. EVIDENCE OF CONTINENTAL
DRIFT
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3. Locations of ancient climatic zones
Grooves & Rock deposits left by ancient glacier are found
today on different continents very close to the equator.
Glacier either formed in the middle of the oceans or cover
most of the Earth.
Wegener thought that glacier were centered over the
southern part of land mass close to south pole and the
continents moves to their current position.