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Questions and Answers
Which evidence supports the idea that continents were once part of the supercontinent Pangea?
Which evidence supports the idea that continents were once part of the supercontinent Pangea?
What do marker fossils indicate regarding continental drift?
What do marker fossils indicate regarding continental drift?
What is a significant paleoclimate indicator that suggests continental drift?
What is a significant paleoclimate indicator that suggests continental drift?
Which phenomenon is NOT associated with the evidence for seafloor spreading?
Which phenomenon is NOT associated with the evidence for seafloor spreading?
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Which type of geological evidence bolsters the theory of plate tectonics?
Which type of geological evidence bolsters the theory of plate tectonics?
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What do warm colors indicate in the context of ocean floor topography?
What do warm colors indicate in the context of ocean floor topography?
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Which type of plate boundary is responsible for the formation of oceanic crust?
Which type of plate boundary is responsible for the formation of oceanic crust?
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What geological formation is expected at an oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary?
What geological formation is expected at an oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary?
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Which process is involved in the formation of mountains at convergent plate boundaries?
Which process is involved in the formation of mountains at convergent plate boundaries?
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What is the outcome of tectonic activity at a continental-continental convergent boundary?
What is the outcome of tectonic activity at a continental-continental convergent boundary?
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Study Notes
Continental Drift Theory
- Introduced by Alfred Lothar Wegener in 1912
- Proposed that all continents once formed a single supercontinent called Pangea
- Evidence included the apparent fit of continents, fossil correlation among continents, rock and mountain correlation between continents, and paleoclimate data and glacial deposits.
Evidence for Plate Tectonics
- Continents fit together like puzzle pieces, especially South America and Africa
- Similar fossils, rock types, and mountain ranges on separate continents
- Similar paleoclimate indicators support continental drift
- Geological features, such as mountain ranges, rock formations with the same ages, and rock characteristics of continents, form contiguous bodies when continents are fitted together.
Seafloor Spreading Theory
- New oceanic lithosphere is created as older materials are pushed away.
- Seafloor spreading occurs at mid-ocean ridges.
- Older oceanic crust is destroyed at deep-sea trenches
- This process is supported by paleomagnetism, heat flow, and age of seafloor.
Paleomagnetism
- Scientists noticed an alternating pattern of normal and reverse polarity in oceanic rocks.
- This supports seafloor spreading.
- Minerals within igneous rocks indicate the polarity of Earth's magnetic field at the time the rock formed.
Plate Boundaries
- Divergent boundaries—plates move apart
- Convergent boundaries—plates collide
- Transform boundaries—plates slide past each other
- Transform boundaries, visible deformations, along transform are faults and folds. In tectonic maps, arrows are drawn along the faults to show direction of the slide
- These boundaries cause volcanic activity, earthquakes, and mountain ranges, as well as the formation of trenches, and valleys
Types of Plate Boundaries
- Oceanic-continental convergence
- Ocean-ocean convergence
- Continental-continental convergence
Mountain Building and Orogeny
- The growth of mountains
- Occurs when two continental plates collide
- The plates bunch up
- Example: Himalayas
Important Ocean Floor Features
- Mid-ocean ridges
- Deep-ocean trenches
- Seamount chains
- Fracture zones
Forces Acting on Rocks
- Compression
- Tension
- Shear
Formations of Earth's Crust
- Folding
- Faulting
- Mountain Building
- Valleys
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Description
Explore the key concepts of Continental Drift Theory and Plate Tectonics, introduced by Alfred Wegener in 1912. This quiz covers the evidence supporting these theories, including fossil correlation, geological features, and seafloor spreading. Test your knowledge on how continents fit together and the dynamics of Earth's geology.
