1. Continental Drift
EES Unit 2

2. The Hypothesis
Continental drift was proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 1900’s
The idea that all continents used to fit together into one land mass
He called this Pangaea meaning “all earth”

3. The Evidence Animation
Continents just look like they used to fit together
Rocks are the same on both sides of the Atlantic
Mountain ranges are the same on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean
Fossils of extinct species found in different parts of the world, separated by water
Evidence of glaciers near the equator
Coral reefs and coal deposits found in cold climates
Animation

6. The Final Piece
Magnetic polarity was discovered to have changed over the years
This is where the north pole moves over time
By studying magnetite crystals in rock that started as lava

7. Magnetite Crystals
Fresh volcanic rock points to the current north pole
Older rocks the same age point to the same location, but it is not the current north pole
Older rocks of different ages do not point to the same location or to the north pole

8. Explanations Continents did not move, but the north pole did
Continents moved but the north pole did not
Both the continents and the north pole moved

9. But……wait…..
Rocks of the same age but on different continents point to different north poles
Only one conclusion can be correct – both the continents and the north pole have moved
This is called apparent polar wander