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Where is Pangea now?
From about 280-230 million years ago (Late Paleozoic Era until the Late Triassic), the continent we now know as North America was continuous with Africa, South America, and Europe. They all existed as a single continent called Pangea.
How would you describe Pangea?
Pangea (alternative spelling: Pangaea) was a supercontinent that existed on the Earth millions of years ago, covering about one-third of its surface. A supercontinent is a large landmass comprised of multiple continents. In the case of Pangea, nearly all of the Earth’s continents were connected into a single landform.
Did Pangea really exist?
Pangea was a supercontinent that existed between 270 to 200 million years ago. 200 million years ago, the movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates caused Pangea to break apart, forming the Earth that we recognize today. Pangea existed during the late Permian and Triassic time periods and was encompassed by a single ocean known as Panthalassa .
What caused Pangaea to break up?
The movement of tectonic plates caused Pangea to break apart and drift away through the ocean, earthquakes and eruptions of volcanoes caused the land to break up.
What are facts about Pangaea?
Facts About Pangaea, Ancient Supercontinent . The breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent. About 300 million years ago, Earth didn’t have seven continents, but instead one massive supercontinent called Pangaea, which was surrounded by a single ocean called Panthalassa .
What evidence supports the past existence of Pangaea?
Wegener and other scientists discovered additional geologic evidence to support the existence of Pangaea. Fossils of the reptile Mesosaurus have been found in South America and Africa. Because Mesosaurus lived in fresh water and on land, it is improbable that it swam between the continents.