Alfred Wegner Flashcards
Who proposed the theory of continental drift?
Alfred Wegener
True or False: Wegener’s theory was widely accepted by the scientific community at the time.
False
What is the primary concept of Wegener’s tectonic theory?
Continental drift
Fill in the blank: Wegener suggested that continents were once part of a single landmass called __________.
Pangaea
What type of evidence did Wegener use to support his theory?
Fossil, geological, and climatic evidence
Multiple Choice: Which of the following was NOT a piece of evidence used by Wegener? A) Similar fossils B) Matching geological formations C) Ocean floor mapping D) Climate belts
C) Ocean floor mapping
True or False: Wegener’s theory included the mechanism for how continents move.
False
What was the name of the supercontinent proposed by Wegener?
Pangaea
Which ocean was believed to have been split by the movement of continents according to Wegener?
The Atlantic Ocean
Fill in the blank: The concept that continents drift over geological time is known as __________.
Continental drift
What type of rock formations supported Wegener’s theory?
Matching mountain ranges
Multiple Choice: Which scientist later provided the mechanism for continental drift? A) Isaac Newton B) Harry Hess C) Alfred Wegener D) Charles Lyell
B) Harry Hess
True or False: Wegener’s work laid the foundation for modern plate tectonics.
True
What did Wegener propose as the reason for the drift of continents?
The rotation of the Earth and gravitational forces
What was one of the major criticisms of Wegener’s theory?
He could not explain how continents moved.
What evidence did Wegener cite regarding the climate of ancient continents?
Fossils of tropical plants found in Arctic regions
True or False: Wegener’s theory was completely ignored until the 1960s.
False
What is the modern scientific consensus on Wegener’s theory?
It is a foundational concept in the theory of plate tectonics.
Fill in the blank: The theory of plate tectonics was developed in the __________ century.
20th
Which geological feature is commonly associated with tectonic plate boundaries?
Earthquakes
What role did fossil distribution play in Wegener’s theory?
It showed that continents were once connected.
What is the significance of Wegener’s work in geology today?
It initiated the study of continental movement and plate tectonics.
True or False: Wegener was primarily a geologist.
False
What was Wegener’s profession aside from being a meteorologist?
Geophysicist
