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Questions and Answers
What theory did Alfred Wegener propose?
What theory did Alfred Wegener propose?
In which year did Alfred Wegener first hypothesize the drifting of continents?
In which year did Alfred Wegener first hypothesize the drifting of continents?
Where did Alfred Wegener graduate with his doctorate degree?
Where did Alfred Wegener graduate with his doctorate degree?
What evidence supported Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory?
What evidence supported Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory?
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When was Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift finally accepted by scientists?
When was Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift finally accepted by scientists?
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What is the continental drift hypothesis?
What is the continental drift hypothesis?
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What causes the continental drift according to the text?
What causes the continental drift according to the text?
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Who was the key theorist behind the continental drift hypothesis?
Who was the key theorist behind the continental drift hypothesis?
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What did Alfred Wegener estimate existed before the continents drifted apart?
What did Alfred Wegener estimate existed before the continents drifted apart?
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What was the belief of some scientists contrary to Wegener's theory?
What was the belief of some scientists contrary to Wegener's theory?
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Study Notes
Continental Drift Theory
- Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift, which suggests that the continents have moved over time.
Alfred Wegener's Background
- Alfred Wegener graduated with his doctorate degree from the University of Berlin.
- In 1912, Wegener first hypothesized the drifting of continents.
Evidence Supporting Continental Drift
- Wegener's theory was supported by evidence such as:
- Fit of the continents
- Similarity of rock formations and fossils across different continents
Acceptance of Continental Drift Theory
- It took until the 1960s for Wegener's theory of continental drift to be finally accepted by scientists.
Continental Drift Hypothesis
- The continental drift hypothesis suggests that the continents have moved over time and were once joined together in a single supercontinent.
Causes of Continental Drift
- According to the text, the causes of continental drift are not specified, but it is implied to be related to geological processes.
Key Theorist
- Alfred Wegener was the key theorist behind the continental drift hypothesis.
Pre-Drift Continent
- Wegener estimated that a single supercontinent, Pangaea, existed before the continents drifted apart.
Contrary Beliefs
- Some scientists believed that the continents were fixed in place and had not moved, contrary to Wegener's theory.
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Description
Test your knowledge about the continental drift hypothesis and the movement of tectonic plates which led to the formation of the current continents. Explore the theory of how the continents were once joined together in a single landmass and later drifted into their existing positions.
