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Formation of
Earth’s
Continents
SCIENTIFIC
NON-SCIENTIFIC
 Continent comes from the word
(continere, Latin for “to hold
together”), a derivation that implies a
structural unity, though not necessarily
dry land.
 A large mass, as a distinct from an
island, which is smaller landmass
surrounded by water.
Australia
 Europe
Antarctica
 South America
North America
 Africa
 Asia
The Scientist said that the Earth
cooled from its original molten
state.
The cooling process caused the
Earth to shrink as it hardened.
 Over the years a new description of
earth’s surface---one that suggested
that the continents were actually
moving and changing---developed.
 One of the first proponent of this
idea was..
 WATCH VIDEO…ENJOY
From the Greek word
pan, meaning all, and
ge, meaning Earth.
LAURASIA
(Northern HEMISPHERE)
GONDWANALAND
(Southern hemisphere)
 North America
Europe
Asia
Greenland
Africa
South America
Antarctica
Australia
India
Revolutionized scientific thinking
about the earth and showed that
continental drift may, in fact, occur.
In 1950’s scientist began studying
ocean floor in more detail than ever
before. Speacial sonar(SOH-nar)
equipment that uses sound waves to
detect underwater objects helped
scientist gather information.
LITHOSPHERE
Eludicates the outermost layer.
ATHENOSPEHERE
Is where the plates slide over the
Earth’s mantle.
CONTINENTAL
OCEANIC
 LITHOSPERIC plates, slowly moves in
different directions.
Relative motion of plates w/ respect to
adjacent places
DIVERGENT MARGIN
CONVERGENT MARGIN
SHEAR
 ENJOY!
 This is an example of a divergent
plate boundary (where the plates
move away from each other). The
Atlantic Ocean was created by this
process. The mid-Atlantic Ridge is
an area where new sea floor is
being created.
 As the rift valley expands two
continental plates have been
constructed from the original one.
The molten rock continues to push
the crust apart creating new crust
as it does.

 As the rift valley expands, water
collects forming a sea. The MidAtlantic Ridge is now 2,000 metres
above the adjacent sea floor, which
is at a depth of about 6,000 metres
below sea level
 The sea floor continues to spread
and the plates get bigger and
bigger. This process can be seen all
over the world and produces about
17 square kilometres of new plate
every year.
 NOTE:
The key to subduction
seems to be water which
acts as a kind of lubricant
as the heavier plate slips
underneath the lighter
plate.
EXAMPLE (Convergent)
The Himalayas and
Mount Everest
 Antonio Snider, who in 1859 first
proposed horizontal movement of
continents catastrophically during
the Genesis flood. The statements
inside Genesis 1:9-10 about the
gathering together of the seas in one
place, which implies there was one
landmass, influenced his thinking.
The gods shook the Earth and moved the
continents with heavy metal (Thunder
and rock).
Giants
Asteroids
Ocean and sky (Dagat at langit)