Continental drift Flashcards
How many layers is the earth made up of?
4 Crust Mantle Outer core Inner core
In what state is the mantle?
Liquid (it is molten rock which can therefore move around)
What process within the mantle causes the plates to move?
Convection, caused by the heat from the core moving towards the cooler crust and then sinking again in a circular motion.
What is the core made out of?
Solid, radioactive iron and nickel which releases heat to the mantle.
Puzzle fit
Is used as evidence of continental drift. It is the idea that many landmasses are shaped as if they once fitted together (like a puzzle) and therefore they must have been forced apart.
What role do fossils play?
Fossils of the same species have been found on opposite sides of oceans. The only way these land animals could be this far apart is if the land was much closer together.
Fossil fuels
Coal and oil need particular climatic conditions to form. To be precise they need almost tropical conditions and therefore the fact that they are found in high latitude areas (e.g. the UK) means the crust there must once have been closer to the equator.
