Question

name: hand - written name geology questions (plate tectonics 1) pages 342 - 348 1. who is credited with developing the continental drift hypothesis? 2. what was pangea? 3. list the evidence that wegener and his supporters gathered to substantiate the continental drift hypothesis. 4. explain why the discovery of fossil remains of mesosaurus in both south america and africa, but nowhere else, supports the continental drift hypothesis. 5. how did wegener account for the existence of glaciers in southern landmasses, while at the same time areas in north america, europe, and siberia had lush tropical swamps?

Explanation:

1. Alfred Wegener is widely recognized as the developer of the continental - drift hypothesis.
2. Pangea was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, consisting of all of Earth's landmasses joined together.
3. Evidence includes the fit of the continents' coastlines (like the east coast of South America and west coast of Africa), similar rock formations across different continents, fossil distributions of similar species across separated landmasses, and paleoclimatic evidence.
4. Mesosaurus was a freshwater - dwelling reptile. Its fossils being found only in South America and Africa suggests that these two continents were once joined, as Mesosaurus could not have crossed the vast ocean between them.
5. Wegener proposed that the continents had moved. The southern landmasses were once located closer to the South Pole, explaining the presence of glaciers, while the areas in North America, Europe, and Siberia were in more tropical latitudes, accounting for the lush tropical swamps.

Answer:

1. Alfred Wegener
2. A supercontinent consisting of all Earth's landmasses in the past.
3. Coastline fit, similar rock formations, fossil distributions, paleoclimatic evidence.
4. Because Mesosaurus was a freshwater reptile and could not cross the ocean; its presence on both continents indicates they were once joined.
5. He proposed that the continents had moved; southern landmasses were closer to the South Pole and areas in North America, Europe, and Siberia were in more tropical latitudes in the past.