Continental drift theory no need to take notes i have taken them for you 2. Evidence later accumulated from other areas of research, but the theory was not taken seriously until well after wegeners death. Alfred wegener suggested that continental drift occurred as continents cut through the ocean floor, in the same way as this icebreaker plows through sea ice. Continental drift and the more recent science of plate tectonics are now the bedrock of modern geology. Listexplain the 4 lines of evidence alfred wegener used to support his continental drift hypothesis. Alfred wegeners lost cause for his continental drift theory. In 1915 the first edition of the origin of continents and oceans, a book outlining wegeners theory, was published. The reaction to alfred wegener s theory tells us much about the workings of science.
He published his observations in a geological comparison of south america with south africa1927, and later he developed his ideas in our wandering continents1937. The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist alfred wegener. Dec 19, 2017 continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on earths surface. Wegner was a geographer and not a geologist, and other geologists believed that he did not have sufficient evidence. His theory was rejected by most geologists during his lifetime but was resurrected and made a central feature of modern geology as part of the theory of plate tectonics in. 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. How did alfred wegener support his theory of continental. We really are one world, according to the findings of alfred wegener, a. Continental drift p95 red book, 182 in sciencesaurus theory that continents were once part of a single. Alfred wegener was the first to offer evidence that our continents were once one great land mass. Evidence of continental drift assignment mapping alfred. Then, he noticed that when you put the continental puzzle. All of the above answers are pieces of evidence for continental drift.
One of the most important contributions to the development of plate tectonic theory was alfred wegener s 1915 publication of the origin of continents and oceans which outlined his theory of continental drift. The reaction to alfred wegeners theory tells us much about the workings of science. One is quite simple that the continents look like they could fit together, much like puzzle pieces that have drifted apart. Continental drift what is, theory, evidence, stages, importance. What are the four proofs of alfred wegener s theory. Alfred wegener collected diverse pieces of evidence to support his theory, including geological fit and fossil evidence. The pieces of pangaea slowly moved toward their presentday locations. Winner of the choice outstanding academic title of the choice acrl. Searching for evidence to further develop his theory of continental drift, wegener came. As you know, alfred wegener came up with the theory of continental drift based on evidence he had gathered from different scientific fields. Francis bacon, antonio sniderpellegrini, benjamin franklin, and others had noted earlier that the shapes of continents on either side of the atlantic ocean most notably, africa and south america seem to fit together. Alfred wegeners theory of continental drift upsc ias evidence and rejection of the theory during the second and third decades of the twentieth century, the notion of continental drift was revived, most notably by the german meteorologist and geophysicist alfred wegener. Continental drift what is, theory, evidence, stages. In this video we will learn how alfred wegener proposed a theory in 1912 that the great continents of the earth had drifted over geological time and were once all joined together in a giant land.
Another problem with wegeners proposal was the fact that he stated that the velocity of continental drift was 8. What are four pieces of evidence alfred wegener used to. Alfred wegener produced evidence in 1912 that the continents are in motion, but. Continental drift, first proposed as a theory by alfred wegener in 1912, is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other. Evidence to prove that pangaea had existed evidence of continental drift. Alfred wegener proposed that the continents had once been massed together in a single supercontinent and then gradually drifted apart. In that sense, many authors suggest that alfred wegeners theory of the.
Wegeners drift theory seemed more plausible than land bridges connecting all of the continents. They based their idea of continental drift on several lines of evidence. In 1912 alfred wegener 18801930 noticed the same thing and proposed that the. Sniderpellegrinis map showing the continental fit and separation, 1858. Jun 04, 2018 another problem with wegener s proposal was the fact that he stated that the velocity of continental drift was 8. If the continental margins are included, the fit is even better. Describe continental drift including supporting evidence.
Alfred wegener proposed that the continents were once united into a single supercontinent named pangaea, meaning all earth in ancient greek. Alfred wegeners theory of continental drift and evidence. An important piece of plate tectonic theory is the continental drift idea. 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. In this assignment students will be analyzing four different maps displaying evidences used by alfred wegener to support his hypothesis of continental drift and then transferring that data to a map of pangaea.
How did alfred wegener support his theory of continental drift. Excerpts and readings on alfred wegener 18801930 biographical note. Alfred wegener the father of continental drift download. The theory of continental drift is defined as the movement of the earths continents relative to each other, thereby appearing to drift together across the oceanic bed. Alfred wegener theory of continental drift found evidence for pangaea and proposed the theory of continental drift. Alfred wegener, german meteorologist and geophysicist who formulated the first complete statement of the continental drift hypothesis. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
The alfred wegener institute for polar and marine research in bremerhaven, germany, was established in 1980 on wegener s centenary. If you were to cut all the continents out of a map, and place south america and africa together, you will find that they fit together when turned the right ways. Alfred wegener aimed to create a revolution in science which would rank with those of nicolaus copernicus and charles darwin. Four pieces of evidence alfred wegener flashcards quizlet. Alfred wegeners lost cause for his continental drift theory forbes. One of the most important contributions to the development of plate tectonic theory was alfred wegeners 1915 publication of the origin of continents and oceans which outlined his theory of continental drift. From these previous works, wegener obtained his firsts ideas about the continental drift. What five factors did wegener use to support his theory. Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on earths surface. Besides the way the continents fit together, wegener and his supporters collected a great deal of evidence for the continental drift hypothesis. Although alfred wegener was able to produce a viable hypothesis with evidence and specifically state the theory, it should be. Identical rocks, of the same type and age, are found on both sides of the atlantic ocean. Pangaea had rifted, or split, and its pieces had been moving away from each other ever since.
What is alfred wegners theory about continental drift. Alfred wegeners fossil evidence for continental drift is shown on the cutouts. Wegener collected various other evidence to support his theory of a single continent. There he argued for the separation of wegeners pangea into the two super continents, laurasia and gondwana. If you were to cut all the continents out of a map, and place south america and africa together, you will find that they fit. 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. The continental drift hypothesis was developed in the early part of the twentieth century, mostly by alfred wegener. In the early 20th century, wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were drifting across the earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and.
Wegener s first piece of evidence was that the coastlines of some continents fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. In 1910, a young german scientist named alfred wegener vay guh nur became. High school earth sciencecontinental drift wikibooks, open. In 1915, wegener published his evidence for continental drift in a book called the. Nov, 2006 alfred wegener was the first to offer evidence that our continents were once one great land mass. Matching fossil remains of a reptile that lived on land and in freshwater were found on two continents now separated by ocean what is alfred wegener s fourth piece of evidence for continental drift. Alfred wegener, in the first three decades of this century, and dutoit in the 1920s. The speculation that continents might have drifted was first put forward by abraham ortelius in 1596. This work was one of the first to suggest continental drift and plate tectonics.
Click download or read online button to get alfred wegener the father of continental drift book now. Another observation favoring continental drift was the presence of evidence for continental glaciation in the pensylvanian period. Which of these pieces of evidence did alfred wegeners original theory of continental drift have access to. Wegener put his idea and his evidence together in his book the origin of continents and oceans, first published in 1915. Alfred wegener and harry hess article khan academy.
Here is the main evidence that wegener and his supporters collected for his continental drift hypothesis. 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. Start studying four pieces of evidence alfred wegener. Early evidence for continental drift hypothesis figure. By the 1970s geologists had agreed to use the term plate tectonics for what.
Oct 11, 2006 continental drift, first proposed as a theory by alfred wegener in 1912, is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other. However, he did not pursue these ideas in his later works. His theory was rejected by most geologists during his lifetime but was resurrected and made a central feature of modern geology as part of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s. One is quite simple that the continents look like they could. Despite publishing a large body of compelling fossil and rock evidence for his theory between 1912 and 1929, it was rejected by most other scientists. In rocks of the same age in equatorial africa he knew there were glacial tillites. Ever since the continents were all mapped, people had noticed that many coastlines, like those of south america and africa, looked as though they. We have learned that rock samples containing magnetic. We really are one world, according to the findings of alfred wegener, a guy who really knew his wea. With the advent of the global positioning system gps, it became possible to measure continental drift directly.
Evidence to prove that pangaea had existed evidence of. It was a scientific theory developed in the years 19081912 by alfred wegener, a german meteorologist, climatologist and geophysicist, who hypothesized that the continents had originally been part of a super continent approximately 240 million years ago before separating and finding their current locations. Jun 01, 2017 in this video we will learn how alfred wegener proposed a theory in 1912 that the great continents of the earth had drifted over geological time and were once all joined together in a giant land. Wegener supported his argument with five lines of evidence. The fit is even more striking when the submerged continental shelves are. All of these facts supported wegeners theory of continental drift. There he argued for the separation of wegener s pangea into the two super continents, laurasia and gondwana. Continental drift an overview sciencedirect topics. Shape of the continents continents fit together like puzzle pieces. Wegener said that continents move around on earths surface and that they were once joined together as a single supercontinent. Andy crawforddorling kindersleygetty images in proposing the theory of continental drift, alfred wegener relied on evidence from the shape of the continents, the distribution of plants and animals, similarities between landscapes, contiguous veins of ore that ran between. What is alfred wegener s third piece of evidence for continental drift. On the one hand, evidence actually weighs less for scientists than.
Then, he noticed that when you put the continental puzzle pieces back together, other things started to fit. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Alfred wegener brought together several lines of evidence to support his theory of continental drift. At the time, alfred wegener was well known for his work in the field of polar meteorology and research, but today he is best remembered for his contributions to the development of the continental drift theory. Wegeners first piece of evidence was that the coastlines of some continents fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. About 300 million years ago, claimed wegener, the continents had. Mar 12, 2019 alfred wegeners theory of continental drift upsc ias evidence and rejection of the theory during the second and third decades of the twentieth century, the notion of continental drift was revived, most notably by the german meteorologist and geophysicist alfred wegener. Alfred wegener s theory of continental drift upsc ias evidence and rejection of the theory during the second and third decades of the twentieth century, the notion of continental drift was revived, most notably by the german meteorologist and geophysicist alfred wegener. But that in itself was not enough to support his idea. When alfred wegener first made his case for continental drift, he relied on two main lines of argument.
Alfred wegener proposed the theory of continental drift the idea that earths continents move. Set forth in 1912 by alfred wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also. Matching fossil remains of a reptile that lived on land and in freshwater were found on two continents now separated by ocean what is alfred wegeners fourth piece of evidence for continental drift. Wegener s drift theory seemed more plausible than land bridges connecting all of the continents. Cut out each of the continents along the edge of the continental shelf the outermost dark line. German climatologist and geophysicist who, in 1915, published as expanded version of his 1912 book the origin of continents and oceans. 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. Puzzle fit, fossil evidence from animals that were once on the same continent, geologic evidence like. What are the four proofs of alfred wegeners theory of.
The concept was independently and more fully developed by alfred wegener in 1912, but his theory was rejected by many for. Which of these pieces of evidence did alfred wegeners. It is important to know that the following specific fossil evidence was not brought up by wegener to support his theory. He suggested that pangaea broke up long ago and that the continents then moved to their current positions. His first ideas came when he noticed that the earths continents fitted closely, but not along its coasts due to erosion and wear. The four maps used show rock layers, fossils, mountains, and glaciers as they are distribu. Nov 29, 2012 a brief introduction to alfred wegener s theory of continental drift, which would lay the groundwork for the development of plate tectonic theory, which essentially explains the geology of the. Styles of thought on the continental drift debate springerlink. Wegeners drift hypothesis also provided an alternate explanation for the. Continental drift p95 red book, 182 in sciencesaurus theory that continents were once part of a single landmass that broke apart. Terms in this set 22 listexplain the 4 lines of evidence alfred wegener used to support his continental drift hypothesis. A masterful biography of alfred wegener 18801930, the german scientist who discovered continental drift. He analyzed both sides of the atlantic ocean for rock type, geological structures and fossils.
Alfred wegener and the theory of continental drift scientists still do not appear to understand sufficiently that all earth sciences must contribute evidence toward unveiling the state of our planet in earlier times, and that the truth of the matter can only be reached by combing all this evidence. The pieces of evidence alfred wegener used to support his theory about continental drift were. This is certainly true of plate tectonics, one of the most important and. Evidence later accumulated from other areas of research, but the theory was not taken seriously until well after wegener s death. What are the 4 pieces of evidence for continental drift. In the early 20th century, wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were drifting across the earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other. Wegener said the rocks had formed sidebyside and that the land had since. What is alfred wegeners third piece of evidence for continental drift. In 1912, alfred wegener proposed a theory that the continents had once been joined, and over time had drifted apart.