CONTINENTAL DRIFT http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu/movies/outreach/sumatra/pangaea.mov http://www.stockton.edu/~hozikm/geol/Courses/The%20Earth/Content%20Web%20Pages/Rozmus/world.gif

Alfred L. Wegener Geologist Alfred Wegener noticed similar rocks & fossil remains were found on continents which seemed to fit together He proposed that the continents were once joined together in a “super” continent he called Pangaea In 1912 Wegener published the first version & died defending his theory Meaning “all land” in greek

Pangaea the large landmass that included all of Earth’s present day continents http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/npl/mineralogy/Mineral_Genesis/PangeaPer.jpg

The continents are still moving! Past and Future movements

Support for Continental Drift 1. SHAPE of the continents Continents fit together like puzzle pieces http://www.ruby-sapphire.com/images/madagascar_sorcerers/gondwanaland.jpg http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/pangaea2.jpg

Support for Continental Drift 1. SHAPE of the continents Wegener was not the only one to notice the fit of the continents. 1858: Antonio Pelligrini depicted Africa and South America connected. He was one of the first scientists to publish maps depicting the apparent fit of the continents.

Support for Continental Drift 2. FOSSIL EVIDENCE SAME FOSSILS: DIFFERENT CONTINENTS http://fold1.ftt.uni-miskolc.hu/~foldshe/abra6/8_3.jpg Mesosaurus was incapable of swimming across a large ocean.

Support for Continental Drift 3. ROCK EVIDENCE – Mountain ranges SAME ROCK: DIFFERENT RANGE Existing mountain ranges separated by vast oceans contain rocks of identical mineral content. A prime example are the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern U.S and the Caledonian Mountains in the British Isles.

SAME SCARS: DIFFERENT CONTINENTS Support for Continental Drift 4. GLACIAL SCARS SAME SCARS: DIFFERENT CONTINENTS

5. LOCATION OF Coal Deposits Support for Continental Drift 5. LOCATION OF Coal Deposits Coal deposits have been found in temperate and polar regions; however, coal is formed in tropical regions.

CONTINENTAL DRIFT IN DOUBT Why didn’t people believe in continental drift? People couldn’t image how the earth could be millions of years old People couldn’t imagine a force great enough to move the continents BUT by the 1960’s evidence would prove continental drift is TRUE and…. The story continues (as does all good science!) http://fold1.ftt.uni-miskolc.hu/~foldshe/abra6/8_3.jpg