What three evidence do scientists use to support the continental drift theory?
Question: What three evidence do scientists use to support the continental drift theory?
Scientists use the following three evidence to support the continental drift theory:
- Matching coastlines: The coastlines of South America and Africa fit together like puzzle pieces, suggesting that they were once connected. This is most evident when looking at a map of the Atlantic Ocean, with the northeastern coast of South America and the northwestern coast of Africa aligned.
- Distribution of fossils: Fossils of the same plants and animals have been found on continents that are now separated by oceans. For example, fossils of the freshwater reptile Mesosaurus have been found in both South America and Africa. This suggests that these continents were once connected and that Mesosaurus was able to migrate between them.
- Geological evidence: Rocks of the same age and composition have been found on continents that are now separated by oceans. For example, rocks of the Brazilian Shield in South America and the West African Craton in Africa are very similar in age and composition. This suggests that these continents were once connected and that these rocks formed together.
In addition to these three main lines of evidence, there are other pieces of evidence that support the continental drift theory, such as the presence of ancient mountain ranges that line up on different continents, and the distribution of ancient climates.
The continental drift theory was first proposed in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, but it was not widely accepted until the 1960s, when the theory of plate tectonics was developed. Plate tectonics explains how the continents move and provides a unifying theory for the continental drift theory.
Today, the continental drift theory is one of the most well-accepted theories in geology. It is used to explain a wide range of geological phenomena, including the formation of mountain ranges, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
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