A brief introduction to alfred wegeners theory of continental drift, which would lay the groundwork for the development of plate tectonic theory, which essentially explains the. In 1 915, wegener published his ideas in a book, on the origin ofcontinents and oceans. However, over the past 50 years, scientists have used the theory of continental drift to develop the. Continental drift was a revolutionary scientific theory developed in the years 19081912 by alfred wegener 18801930, a german meteorologist, climatologist, and geophysicist, that put forth the hypothesis that the continents had all originally been a part of one enormous landmass or supercontinent about 240 million years ago before breaking apart and drifting to their current locations.
Then new evidence about earths structure led scientists to reconsider wegeners bold theory. His initial work dealt with oil deposits by quantity, quality and location. According to wegeners continental drift theory, all the continents were one single continental mass called a super continent pangaea and a mega ocean surrounded this supercontinent. Displaying all worksheets related to continental drift theory. Alfred wegener developed theory of continental drift alfred wegener was a german meteorologist studied weather credited with development of the continental. Third, and most fundamental, physicists discovered radiogenic heat, which contradicted the basic assumption. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for continental drift theory. B, taylor postulated his concept of horizontal displacement of the continents in the year of 1908 but it could be published only in the year 1910. Jul 24, 2019 continental drift was a revolutionary scientific theory developed in the years 19081912 by alfred wegener 18801930, a german meteorologist, climatologist, and geophysicist, that put forth the hypothesis that the continents had all originally been a part of one enormous landmass or supercontinent about 240 million years ago before breaking apart and drifting to their current locations. This was the time when reptiles and winged insects first appeared.
Mar 12, 2020 continental drift, largescale horizontal movement of continents relative to one another and to the ocean basins during one or more episodes of geologic time. Create your own kahoot from the information you have learned about plate tectonics and the continental drift theory. Evidences and limitations of continental drift theory 3. Continental drift, in the context of the modern theory of plate tectonics, is explained by the movement of lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere the molten, ductile, upper portion of the earths mantle. All continents were once connected in a single large landmass. The theory has caused a revolution in the way we think about the earth.
Later, seismometersinstruments that measure the motions of the groundand other technologies showed that continental drift was real. Continental drift theory was put forward by the german scientist alfred wegner in 1915. Continental drift timeline activity sheet continental. Continental drift theory cdt continental drift refers to the movement of the continents relative to each other. Continental drift plates in the crust of the earth, according to the plate tectonics theory from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia continental drift is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other. Continental drift is the theory that the earths continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other, thus appearing to have drifted across the ocean bed. The theory of continental drift continental drift discovery the world alfred wegener theory of continental drift continental drift p95 red book, 182 in sciencesaurus theory that continents were once part of a single landmass that broke apart and have moved to their present locations.
Continental drift wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Dec 19, 2017 continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on earths surface. For nearly half a century, from the 1920s to the 1960s, most scientists paid little attention to the idea of continental drift. A large super continent pangea split into smaller fragments about 200300 million years ago. Alfred wegenerfrom continental drift to plate tectonics article pdf available in resonance 106.
Set forth in 1912 by alfred wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why lookalike animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents. The theory of continental drift proposes that the continents are drifting away from each other because they are located on tectonic plates, or sections that make up the earths crust, the. Continental drift theory worksheets lesson worksheets. Continental drift p95 red book, 182 in sciencesaurus theory that continents were once part of a single landmass that broke apart and have moved to their present locations. These then drifted apart to form the present arrangement of continents. Pangea supercontinent map description in ramayana puranas is part of plate tectonics pangea supercontinent map, facts of its division into multiple continents years ago by ancestors of rama, described in sanskrit poem. In 1967, mckenzie and parker suggested the theory of plate tectonics. Theory of continental drift the continental drift hypothesis was developed in the early part of the 20th century, mostly by alfred wegener.
Theory of continental was purposed by alferedwegner in 1912 3. Worksheets are inside earth work, continental drift and plate tectonics, continental drift activity packet, theoretical models continental drift, the theory of continental drift and pangaea today a prima, continental drift and plate tectonics, example answers, continental drift. Davis matza’s theory of drift is when a delinquent will drift in and out of delinquency. According to the hypothesis of continental drift, continents have moved slowly to their current locations. By 1980 he was able to predict where oil could be found with five hundred percent. The continental drift theory is a theory because there is no evidence to support it. Continental drift theory free download as powerpoint presentation. Third, and most fundamental, physicists discovered radiogenic heat, which contradicted the basic assumption of contraction theory that the earth was steadily cooling. Wegener believed they were examples of a new theorycontinental drift, the gradual movement of continents across earths surface. However, over the past 50 years, scientists have used the theory of continental drift to develop the current theory the theory of plate tectonics.
The reaction to alfred wegeners theory tells us much about the workings of science. Dec 16, 2019 continental drift theory cdt continental drift refers to the movement of the continents relative to each other. The teacher can ask the students to show how far that is using their hands. A commonly held theory to explain the presence of fossils on disparate lands was that there was once a network of land bridges connecting the continents that had sunk into the sea as part of a general cooling and contraction of the earth. Wegener noticed that the continents fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. He published his observations in a geological comparison of south america with south africa1927, and later he developed his ideas in our wandering continents1937. Then new evidence about earths structure led scientists to reconsider wegeners. Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on earths surface. The lithosphere is divided into moving segments that change. Continental drift and plate tectonics university of iceland. Continental drift theory continental drift is the hypothesis that all the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass.
Pdf alfred wegenerfrom continental drift to plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is the grand, unifying theory of earth sciences, combining the concepts of continental drift and seafloor spreading into one holistic theory that explains many of the major structural features of the earths surface. He had no satisfactory mechanism to offer, but appealed. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics plate tectonics is a theory developed in the late 1960s, to explain how the outer layers of the earth move and deform. The theory deals with the distribution of the oceans and the continents. In the early 1900s, german meteorologist alfred wegener developed a theory describing how the continental land masses were moving across the earth. Continental drift timeline activity sheet continental drift. Continental drift theory 5 evidences and 4 major david matza’s theory of neutralization drift, and herman and julia schwendinger’s theory of rhetoric can be brought together to explain the delinquent subculture more easily. Continental drift theory of taylor theories geography. Pdf continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics. The teacher will tell the class that the plates move at a rate of 2 cmyear minimum and 6 cmyear maximum. Alfred wegener developed the continental drift theory in the 1800s. There were also alternative theories to counter wegeners continental drift theory.
Previous article pdf 307 theories of tectonics geography next article pdf 309 other theories on plate tectonics geography related articles more from author. They broke apart about 200 million years ago and drifted apart to their current positions. Pdf continental drift, plate tectonics and the ice flow. Set forth in 1912 by alfred wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also.
Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics. Polar wandering similar to continental drift theory polar wandering is the relative movement of the earths crust and upper mantle with respect to the rotational poles of the earth. Plate tectonics theory the upper most mantle, along with overlying crust, behaves as a strong, rigid layer. Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologist s thought continent s moved over time. Pdf 308 continental drift theory geography indiashastra. My friends and i are here to present my theory of continental drift, which i published in the year 1915. Dec 17, 2019 plate tectonics it was from the continental drift theory, convection current theory and the theory of seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics was formulated. Continental drift theory no need to take notes i have taken them for you 2. Alfred was trying to get his girlfriends father to like him. According to the continental drift theory, part of the crust are capable of horizontal movement round the globe causing the continents to slowly change their positions in relation to one another. Professor alfred wegener of germany was primarily a meteorologist.
The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist alfred wegener. In this article we will discuss about the continental drift theory of taylor. In 1912, alfred wegener proposed a theory that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart. What are the strengths and weaknesses of continental drift.
Some of the worksheets for this concept are inside earth work, continental drift and plate tectonics, continental drift activity packet, theoretical models continental drift, the theory of continental drift and pangaea today a prima, continental drift and plate tectonics, example answers, continental drift. Wegener said that continents move around on earths surface and that they were once joined together as a single supercontinent. According to wegeners theory, 225 million years ago, all the land on earth was part of one huge landmass. He published his observations in a geological comparison of south america with south africa1927, and later he developed his ideas in our wandering continents 1937. The concept was independently and more fully developed by alfred wegener. In the early 20th century, wegener published a paper explaining. Continental drift, largescale horizontal movements of continents relative to one another and to the ocean basins during one or more episodes of geologic time. At the time of his death in 1930, the technology needed to validate continental drift was still decades away.
From continental drift to plate tectonics 7 and therefore they could not sink to become ocean basins. Plate tectonics it was from the continental drift theory, convection current theory and the theory of seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics was formulated. Since the development of the theory, geologists have had to reexamine almost every aspect of. This concept was an important precursor to the development of the theory of plate tectonics, which incorporates it.
Apr 28, 2018 continental drift theory was put forward by the german scientist alfred wegner in 1915. There he argued for the separation of wegeners pangea into the two super continents, laurasia and gondwana. Plate tectonics and continental drift theory plate tectonics was born in 1968 in the form of a theory of the evolution of. The main purpose of his hypothesis was to explain the problems of the origin of. The speculation that continents might have drifted was first put forward by abraham ortelius in 1596. Nov 29, 2012 a brief introduction to alfred wegeners theory of continental drift, which would lay the groundwork for the development of plate tectonic theory, which essentially explains the geology of the earth. According to the theory of plate tectonics, the earths lithosphere is broken into distinct plates which are. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics.
435 1093 42 759 991 1111 493 1543 500 992 1069 275 1373 107 196 1193 1171 1077 681 653 1065 1474 400 730 378 986 656 452 644 85 1170 1423 320 1455 879 681 970 109