Podcast
Questions and Answers
What significant geographical feature did Marie Tharp map during her contributions to geology?
What significant geographical feature did Marie Tharp map during her contributions to geology?
Which aspect of continental drift did Alfred Wegener fail to explain in his theory?
Which aspect of continental drift did Alfred Wegener fail to explain in his theory?
What decade saw the emergence of new evidence supporting the theory of continental drift?
What decade saw the emergence of new evidence supporting the theory of continental drift?
How long ago did the continents join as a single land mass, according to the calculated timeline?
How long ago did the continents join as a single land mass, according to the calculated timeline?
Signup and view all the answers
What significant achievement did Marie Tharp accomplish in 1953?
What significant achievement did Marie Tharp accomplish in 1953?
Signup and view all the answers
What year did Alfred Wegener publish The Origin of Continents and Oceans?
What year did Alfred Wegener publish The Origin of Continents and Oceans?
Signup and view all the answers
What major discovery did Wegener make in 1911 that supported his theory of continental drift?
What major discovery did Wegener make in 1911 that supported his theory of continental drift?
Signup and view all the answers
What position did Wegener hold at Graz University in Austria?
What position did Wegener hold at Graz University in Austria?
Signup and view all the answers
What innovative method did Wegener begin using in the early 1900s to advance meteorology?
What innovative method did Wegener begin using in the early 1900s to advance meteorology?
Signup and view all the answers
In which year was Wegener appointed as a meteorologist for an expedition to Greenland?
In which year was Wegener appointed as a meteorologist for an expedition to Greenland?
Signup and view all the answers
Why was Wegener's theory of continental drift not widely accepted during his lifetime?
Why was Wegener's theory of continental drift not widely accepted during his lifetime?
Signup and view all the answers
What event interrupted Wegener's research during World War I?
What event interrupted Wegener's research during World War I?
Signup and view all the answers
What significant contribution did Wegener make to meteorology while in Greenland?
What significant contribution did Wegener make to meteorology while in Greenland?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the primary reason Alfred Wegener's theory was dismissed by geologists at the time?
What was the primary reason Alfred Wegener's theory was dismissed by geologists at the time?
Signup and view all the answers
Which piece of evidence did Wegener NOT use to support his theory of continental drift?
Which piece of evidence did Wegener NOT use to support his theory of continental drift?
Signup and view all the answers
What did Wegener name the single large landmass that existed before continents drifted apart?
What did Wegener name the single large landmass that existed before continents drifted apart?
Signup and view all the answers
Which fossil example serves as evidence for Wegener's theory of continental drift?
Which fossil example serves as evidence for Wegener's theory of continental drift?
Signup and view all the answers
In which year did Alfred Wegener present his theory of continental drift?
In which year did Alfred Wegener present his theory of continental drift?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of geological evidence did Wegener present to support his theory of continental drift?
What type of geological evidence did Wegener present to support his theory of continental drift?
Signup and view all the answers
Why was Wegener's theory of continental drift initially met with skepticism?
Why was Wegener's theory of continental drift initially met with skepticism?
Signup and view all the answers
What significant contribution did Marie Tharp make to the support of the continental drift theory?
What significant contribution did Marie Tharp make to the support of the continental drift theory?
Signup and view all the answers
During which time period was the theory of continental drift first formally presented by Alfred Wegener?
During which time period was the theory of continental drift first formally presented by Alfred Wegener?
Signup and view all the answers
What did the shared distribution of fossils, such as Cynognathus, suggest about the Earth's continents during the Mesozoic era?
What did the shared distribution of fossils, such as Cynognathus, suggest about the Earth's continents during the Mesozoic era?
Signup and view all the answers
Which key discovery in the 1950s and 1960s helped solidify Wegener's theory of continental drift?
Which key discovery in the 1950s and 1960s helped solidify Wegener's theory of continental drift?
Signup and view all the answers
What was a notable limitation of Wegener's theory at the time of its presentation?
What was a notable limitation of Wegener's theory at the time of its presentation?
Signup and view all the answers
What concept related to continental drift was notably absent during Wegener's lifetime?
What concept related to continental drift was notably absent during Wegener's lifetime?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Alfred Wegener
- A meteorologist and Arctic explorer
- Proposed a systematic theory of continental drift
- Was an original thinker in geology
- Supporting evidence from his wide-ranging research
- Ideas were not accepted until long after his death
Continental Drift
- Wegener noticed that the coastlines of western Africa and eastern South America looked like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle
- He wondered if the continents had once been joined
- He noticed fossils of the same ancient species on different continents
- He also found fragments of an ancient mountain range on unconnected coasts
- He discovered fossil evidence in 1911 that supported his theory
- In 1912, he proposed a theory of continental drift, proposing that the continents had once been a single landmass, which he called Pangea
- His idea was not well received by geologists
- In the 1950s and 1960s, new evidence emerged that supported Wegener's theory
- It was discovered that the Earth's crust is made up of gigantic tectonic plates, which move as convection currents bring molten lava up to the surface
- Wegner made three expeditions
- He died from overexertion in 1930
Marie Tharp
- A geologist
- Charted the ocean floor
- Identified the mid-Atlantic rift
- Made hand-drawn maps of the ocean depths
- Her work provided powerful evidence for the theory of continental drift
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge on the contributions of Marie Tharp and Alfred Wegener to geology. This quiz covers key concepts related to continental drift, significant achievements, and the historical context of these scientific advancements. Explore the major discoveries that shaped our understanding of Earth's geological structure.
