Download 5. I can evaluate Alfred Wegner`s theory of continental drift based on

5. I can evaluate Alfred Wegner’s theory of continental drift based on scientific evidence
and reasoning.
a. I can describe the 4 pieces of evidence for plate tectonics used by Alfred Wegner
b. I can evaluate Alfred Wegner’s hypothesis of continental drift
c. I can explain how magnetic minerals in the Earth’s crust are evidence for continental drift.
d. I can describe the role of convection currents in plate tectonics and identify sources of
energy that cause them
5a. - 4 pieces of evidence
Fossil Evidence
Puzzle evidence.
How do some fossils make good evidence for
continental drift?
What is “puzzle” evidence?
The continents fit like a puzzle
Land animals or plants separated by
oceans
What fossils make good evidence for
continental drift?
Land animals or plant fossils found on
continents separated by thousands of
miles of ocean.
What kinds of fossils would not be evidence
for continental drift?
Ocean animal fossils, or fossils found on
the same continent.
What is the name of the supercontinent that
contained all the land masses on Earth
together?
Pangea
Which continents look the most like they fit
together?
North and South America East coast fit
into Africa’s West coast.
Geological Evidence
Glacier Evidence.
What two mountain ranges are evidence of
continental drift?
Appalachian Mtns in North America
Atlas Mountains in Africa (Morocco)
How can mountains be evidence of
continental drift?
Mountain ranges that are the same size,
age, shape, but are separated by oceans.
How can rock layers be evidence of
continental drift?
Same layers of rock in the same sequence
but on opposite sides of the ocean
What is glacier evidence?
Evidence that glaciers existed in places
that are on or near the equator today.
In what places to we find this kind of
evidence for Pangea?
India, South America, Africa, Australia
Why glaciers in Alaska not good evidence for
continental drift?​Alaska is already cold
5c. - Paleomagnetic evidence for continental drift.
1. Label the oldest and youngest bands on the diagram above. O
​ ldest are bands on the
outside of the drawing, newest is in the middle where magma is pushing up to
make new rock.
2. What causes the magnetic minerals in oceanic crust change orientation? (Use the term
Magnetic pole reversal ​in your explanation.) (2 sentences minimum)
____________________________________________________________________________
________​During a magnetic pole reversal the particles in the liquid magma change
orientation. When the magma solidifies the minerals are frozen in that orientation forever.
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do the minerals at the mid ocean ridge change orientation during a magnetic pole
reversal but no where else? (hint- think of the state of matter of the rock that forms the
mid ocean ridge) (one sentence)
​ s long as the rock is liquid (magma/lava) the particles can move to be in the right
A
orientation.
d. I can describe the role of convection currents in plate tectonics and identify sources
of energy that cause them
1. The sources of heat that cause convection currents are :
_______​Radiation_______ and _​Gravity (which pulls plates down and makes lots of heat and friction)
2. Use the clues below to add labels to the drawing.
Clues
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Layer of Earth made of liquid iron.
Layer of Earth that the lithosphere “floats” on.
Type of boundary where tectonic plates collide
Circular motion of fluid where one area is heated and another is cooled
Describes what is happening to the temperature of the asthenosphere in this region.
Name of geological structure found at this type of boundary
Outermost layer of Earth that includes the crust and the solid upper mantle
Area where a more dense plate is pushed/pulled below a less dense plate
Word bank
Mid- ocean ridge
Convection current
Inner Core
Outer core
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Subduction zone
Convergent boundary
Heating
cooling