Question bank: Continental Drift

The theory of continental drift, proposed by Alfred Wegener, suggests that the current land masses were once united in a single supercontinent called Pangaea. Considering that the east coast of Brazil fits almost perfectly with the west coast of Africa, explain how this fit provides evidence in favor of the theory of continental drift. Furthermore, justify the importance of current continents undergoing continental drift for biological formation and evolution.

Consider the following statement: 'The similarities between fossils found in regions that are now distant, such as the glossopteris fern, and geological evidence, such as the congruence of rock structures, contributed to the development of the theory of continental drift by Alfred Wegener.' Based on this statement and your knowledge of the theory of continental drift, explain how the theory of continental drift can help justify the way the continents are currently arranged on the planet and describe an example of how fossil or geological evidence suggests that certain regions, now separated by oceans, shared a common past.

Analyzing geological maps, we notice that the rock structures and plant and animal fossils from areas that are now separated by large ocean expanses often fit together in a surprising way. In addition, paleoclimatic and glacial evidence suggest that regions such as South America and Africa, which now have such different climates, had a similar distribution of glaciation in the past. Based on these observations, scientist Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift, which was later substantiated and expanded by the theory of plate tectonics. (1) Explain, based on the evidence presented by Wegener and knowledge about tectonic plates, how the movement of plates can justify the formation of continents and the distribution of fossils and geological structures. (2) In 'On the Origin of Species', Charles Darwin described a process of natural selection that acts on species, resulting in adaptations to the environment over generations. Considering this evolutionary perspective, discuss how continental drift and the formation of geographic barriers can influence biological diversity and species evolution on different continents.

Continents are the large land masses that form the Earth's surface. Composed of mainland, islands, and archipelagos, they are recognized by their geographical location and geological characteristics. What are the continents that form the Earth?

Continental drift is one of the processes responsible for the formation of Earth's relief, being one of Alfred Wegener's main theories, created in 1915. This theory states that tectonic plates move due to Earth's internal forces. Which of these factors was NOT considered by Wegener as responsible for the movement of the plates?