The Path to Plate Tectonics

  1. Explain Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift. Include in your explanation the types of evidence he used to support the hypothesis, and why his idea did not gain wide acceptance at the time.
  2. Describe some of the scientific advancements that provided evidence for plate movement and led to the theory of plate tectonics.
  3. Watch this YouTube animation showing how the tectonic plates looked around 235 million years ago. The animation begins with the supercontinent, Pangaea, and shows how the plates moved through time to their present configuration. What continents did North America be attached to during Pangaea time? [YouTube video by Tech Insider (September 2017). How the earth will look in 250 million years./ 2:06 min]
  4. How does the Theory of Plate Tectonics explain why those continents are now separated by the Atlantic Ocean and still moving apart?