lesson 3: evidence of continental drift

Question 1

evidence 1

Answer 1

• The apparent fit of the continents
• The coastlines of the continents appear to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle
• This is most noticeable with the eastern coast of South America, and the western coast of Africa

Question 2

evidence 2

Answer 2

• Evidence of life
• He begun to study fossil of ancient creatures and where they were located in the earth
• He noticed that fossils of ancient creatures are found in places where they shouldn’t be (like in two different continents). The only way this was possible was if the continents were joined together
• Fossil correlation
• The matching up of identical fossils that have been found in the rocks of either sides of the ocean

Question 3

evidence 3

Answer 3

• Geological structures
• He noticed that the fossil distribution was the same as rock distribution
• He found the mountains in the US were the same age and geological structure as mountains found in the UK and IRE
• Rock and mountain correlation
• The matching up of different rocks is separate locations proving that the continents were once together
• Identical rocks and mountain structures have been found on either sides of the ocean

Question 4

evidence 4

Answer 4

• Past climate data
• He studied glaciers and new when glaciers move over the earth, they leave deep scaring on the earth’s surface
• He found glacial scars in South America and Africa, two very hot climates where today, glaciers could not have formed. This also shows that this places were not always near the equator, but towards the poles
• He also looked at bituminous coal, a sedimentary rock made of tropical plant remains, only found in warm climates
• If you look at coal deposits today, they are found in cold, frigid environments, such as North America, and northern Asis. This once again proves that the continents moved around
• Paleoclimate data
• Coal has been found in cold regions, and glacial evidence has been found in warm regions.