hazards -evidence of plate tectonic theory

Question 1

how many pieces of evidence support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 1

5

Question 2

what are the 5 pieces of evidence that support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 2

.continental fit
.geological evidence
.climatological evidence
.biological evidence
.paleomagnetism

Question 3

how is continental fit used to support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 3

.some continents seem to fit together if placed beside each other eg -Africa and South America

Question 4

how does geological evidence support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 4

.similar mountain ranges in the world eg -the Appalachian and the Caledonian mountain ranges have the same age and structure -so it would make sense for these continents to be connected

Question 5

how does climatological evidence support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 5

.north America and the UK both contain coal deposits of similar age that were formed in tropical conditions -but they are no longer in tropical climate zones so therefore they must have drifted

Question 6

how does biological evidence support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 6

.the same animal fossils eg -Mesosaurus are present on different continents -this would only be possible if:
.they could swim or
.the continents were connected
.it has been said it is unlikely the animals were able to travel between continents, suggesting that the continents were once connected

Question 7

how does paleaomagnetism support the idea of plate movement?

Answer 7

.every 400,000 years, Earth’s polarity reverses from north to south
.as the plates move apart magnetite is created -this is a rock mineral that can become magnetised
.the polarity of magnetite therefore changes when the polarity of the Earth changes, evidencing that the sea floor is spreading