Download Continental Drift Lab

Lab
Write-up
Become a Genius. Take the World!
Name:
Plate Tectonics
Date:
Pd:
Title: Continental Drift
Question: What evidence did Alfred Wegener have to support his idea of continental drift?
Background: The diagram on page G107 shows the outline of the continents at sea level, as well as
the boundary between the continental crust and the oceanic crust. The diagram also shows the location
of rock formations, mountain ranges, and fossil plants and animals.
Hypothesis:
Materials:
Map of the continents
EarthComm book
Procedure:
1) Place the continents on your desk in roughly the same
place they are today (use your planner!).Sketch it in the
1st box, with labels and answer questions.
2) Try to arrange the continents as they would have
appeared 250 million years ago, as the single
supercontinent Pangea (page G108).
3) Sketch them in the 2nd box, then answer the questions.
Observations & Results:
1.
Coal deposits originated in the swamps of tropical forests. Are the coal
deposits shown on the map in the tropics today?
2. Where do you find mountains similar in structure to the Appalachian
Mountains?
3. Glossopteris is an extinct seed fern that had leaves like ferns of today. It
produced seeds too large to travel by air or float on water. Where are fossils of
these ferns located today?
4.
Mesosaurus is an extinct freshwater reptile that thrived during the Triassic
period (245 to 208 million years ago). Where are fossils of this reptile found
today?
5. Which two continents fit together best?
6.
Many coal deposits were created before 280 million years ago in the tropics. Where were they
250 million years ago? Does this make sense? Explain.
7. Do the Appalachian Mountains line up with other formations that they resemble?
8. How does Glossopteris appear to have migrated to its present fossil distribution, since its seeds
could not be carried by the wind or float on water?
Claim
Evidence
9. How does Mesosaurus appear to have migrated to its present fossil locations, since it could not
swim in the salty ocean?
Claim
Evidence
Conclusion:
Alfred Wegener proposed the idea of continental drift in 1912. What were three pieces of evidence
for thinking this was true?
Concept: Write a 5 to 7 sentence paragraph that explains what you learned during this lab.
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