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Questions and Answers
What was the name given to the single land mass proposed by Wegener?
What was the name given to the single land mass proposed by Wegener?
- Pangea (correct)
- Laurasia
- Gondwana
- Panthalassa
What evidence did Wegener rely on to support his theory of continental drift?
What evidence did Wegener rely on to support his theory of continental drift?
- Ocean salinity levels
- Weathering effects on coastlines
- Volcanic activity patterns
- Fossil distribution and similar rock formations (correct)
What specific evidence did Wegener discover in 1911 that supported his theory of continental drift?
What specific evidence did Wegener discover in 1911 that supported his theory of continental drift?
- Geological rock types that were identical
- Fossil evidence indicating land connection (correct)
- Landforms that matched across continents
- Climate patterns consistent across continents
What discovery did Marie Tharp make that contributed to the support of continental drift?
What discovery did Marie Tharp make that contributed to the support of continental drift?
Which major event in Wegener's life occurred just days after his 50th birthday?
Which major event in Wegener's life occurred just days after his 50th birthday?
Why was Wegener's theory initially dismissed by geologists?
Why was Wegener's theory initially dismissed by geologists?
What was the name of Wegener's book published in 1915 that included maps of how continents were joined?
What was the name of Wegener's book published in 1915 that included maps of how continents were joined?
Which geological concept emerged in the 1950s and 1960s that supported Wegener's theory?
Which geological concept emerged in the 1950s and 1960s that supported Wegener's theory?
What aspect of Wegener's education was unusual for a meteorologist at the time?
What aspect of Wegener's education was unusual for a meteorologist at the time?
What major challenge did Wegener face regarding his professional background?
What major challenge did Wegener face regarding his professional background?
Which university did Wegener join as a professor of meteorology and geophysics in 1924?
Which university did Wegener join as a professor of meteorology and geophysics in 1924?
How did Wegener's expeditions contribute to his theory on continental drift?
How did Wegener's expeditions contribute to his theory on continental drift?
What pattern did Wegener first observe that led him to hypothesize about continents being connected?
What pattern did Wegener first observe that led him to hypothesize about continents being connected?
What is the significance of the fossil Cynognathus in the context of continental drift?
What is the significance of the fossil Cynognathus in the context of continental drift?
What hindered the early acceptance of Wegener's theory of continental drift?
What hindered the early acceptance of Wegener's theory of continental drift?
What was a major consequence of Wegener's draft into the German army during World War I?
What was a major consequence of Wegener's draft into the German army during World War I?
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Study Notes
Alfred Wegener
- Alfred Wegener, a meteorologist and Arctic explorer, was the first to propose a systematic theory of continental drift.
- Despite not being trained in geology, he accumulated supporting evidence from his research.
- Wegener began his career studying weather and climate, pioneering the use of weather balloons.
- He was the first to establish a meteorological station in Greenland, making three more expeditions to the region before his death in 1930.
- He questioned the shapes of the continents, suggesting they were once joined together.
- He found further evidence for his theory in the fossil record, ancient rock formations, and glacial deposits.
- He proposed that Earth's continents were once a single landmass, or "supercontinent," called Pangea.
Continental Drift Theory & Evidence
- The fossil record showed the same species on different continents, such as Cynognathus, a large doglike reptile found in both South Africa and South America.
- Similar ancient rock formations were found on the coasts of Africa and South America.
- Fragments of ancient mountain ranges were found on unconnected continents.
- Glacial deposits at the equator supported the movement of continents.
- Wegener's theory was initially rejected by the geological community.
- His theory was revived in the 1950s and 1960s with the discovery of tectonic plates and convection currents.
Marie Tharp
- Marie Tharp, a geologist and cartographer, charted the ocean floor, mapping a 9,941-mile (16,000-km) ridge in the middle of the Atlantic with a deep rift at its center.
- Her map identified the mid-Atlantic rift, providing powerful evidence for the theory of continental drift.
- Although Tharp didn't directly argue for the theory, her discovery supported it.
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