The theory of continental drift, proposed by Alfred Wegener, suggests that continents were once part of a single landmass called Pangaea, which broke apart and moved to their current positions. Wegener's evidence includes the distribution of similar fossils across continents, matching mountain ranges, and climatic indicators. Advances in satellite technology have allowed for the measurement of continental movement over time.

1. The Theory of Continental Drift
The Theory of Continental Drift
Continental Drift Discovery

2. The World
The World

3. ALFRED WEGENER
ALFRED WEGENER
THEORY OF CONTINENTAL
THEORY OF CONTINENTAL
DRIFT
DRIFT
Found evidence for
PANGAEA and
proposed the theory of
continental drift.

4. Continental Drift
Continental Drift
(p95 red book, 182 in Sciencesaurus)
(p95 red book, 182 in Sciencesaurus)
• Theory that continents were
once part of a single
landmass that broke apart
and have moved to their
present locations.
• can drift apart from one
another and have done so in
the past
For more information about what the continents looked like throughout the Earth’s
History go to:
htttp://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/anim1.html

5. Pangaea
Pangaea
Pangaea is the name given to the single
landmass that was present 200 million
years ago
Can you name the continents in Pangaea?
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/pangaea/Pangaea_game.html

6. Recreating Wegener’s Discovery
Recreating Wegener’s Discovery
Create your own Pangaea using the same
evidence Wegener used.
K12: Plate Tectonics

7. Continents
“fit together”
like puzzle
pieces
WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
WEGENER’S EVIDENCE

8. WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
Fossil Evidence
•fossils are remains
of living things that
lived long ago.
•similar fossils have
been discovered in
matching coastlines
on different
continents.

9. WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
WEGENER’S EVIDENCE

10. WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
• Mountains
– Some mountain ranges on different continents
seem to match.
• Ex: ranges in Canada match Norway and Sweden
• Ex: Appalachian Mtn. match UK mtn

12. WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
WEGENER’S EVIDENCE
• Climatic evidence such as glaciers in
areas that are now close to the Equator

13. Satellites used to
Satellites used to
measure the
measure the
movement of
movement of
continents
continents
• Laser Geodynamics
Satellite (LAGEOS)
Evidence of Continental Drift

14. The Plates Move…
The Plates Move…
So what now?
So what now?
Which way?
• 50 million years