1. Continental Drift Theory

2. Pangea A supercontinent that existed 200 million years ago.
The most recent of several supercontinents that have existed over earth’s history.

3. Continental Drift Theory
Proposed by a German scientists named Alfred Wegener.
Plates are constantly moving relative to one another.
Over time the contents will move together and then apart again, changing their positions on the globe and relative to one another.

4. Evidence for Continental Drift
Fit of Plates
Coastlines look like they fit together

5. Evidence for Continental Drift
Fossil Evidence
Same fossils found on many continents in specific locations
Scientists’ explanations
Rafting
Stepping stones
Land bridges
Continental Drift (Wegener’s Theory)

6. Evidence for Continental Drift

7. Evidence for Continental Drift
Evidence from Rocks
Mountains of same age and geologic composition found across oceans…must have been connected

8. Evidence for Continental Drift
Climatic Evidence
Continents have fossils that could only exist if a continent was at a different location
Examples: Tropical plants found on Antarctica (would have been near the equator), while other continents were covered with ice

9. Evidence for Continental Drift