Table of Contents
Why did people not accept the theory of continental drift?
The main reason that Wegener’s hypothesis was not accepted was because he suggested no mechanism for moving the continents. He thought the force of Earth’s spin was sufficient to cause continents to move, but geologists knew that rocks are too strong for this to be true.
What happened to the continental drift theory?
Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologists thought continents moved over time. Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics.
What is the reason for continental drift?
The causes of continental drift are perfectly explained by the plate tectonic theory. The earth’s outer shell is composed of plates that move a little bit every year. Heat coming from the interior of the earth triggers this movement to occur through convection currents inside the mantle.
What evidence did Alfred Wegener notice and discover that led him to believe that the continents were drifting?
Evidence for continental drift Wegener knew that fossil plants and animals such as mesosaurs, a freshwater reptile found only South America and Africa during the Permian period, could be found on many continents. He also matched up rocks on either side of the Atlantic Ocean like puzzle pieces.
When did continental drift become accepted?
The first truly detailed and comprehensive theory of continental drift was proposed in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist.
What did scientists eventually learn that led them to accept Wegener’s theory?
By the 1960s, scientists had amassed enough evidence to support the missing mechanism—namely, seafloor spreading—for Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift to be accepted as the theory of plate tectonics.
Is the theory of continental drift still true?
Yes, the continents were once connected into one piece, which was called Pangaea. The continents are constantly changing, and the theory is called Continental Drift first discovered by Alfred Wegener. The continents are still moving today and it is believed that it will all connect together again, but not in this lifetime!
Who is the scientist who did much of the early work on continental drift?
Alfred Wegener on the Continental Drift. Who is the scientist who did much of the early work on continental drift? In the early 20th century, German scientist Alfred Wegener published a book explaining his theory that the continental landmasses, far from being immovable, were drifting across the Earth.
Why did Wegener come up with the theory of continental drift?
These processes were the main geologic forces behind what Wegener recognized as continental drift. The way some continents fit together like puzzle pieces inspired the theory of continental drift.
What did Arthur Holmes think about continental drift?
The year after Wegener died, Arthur Holmes published his idea that thermal convection in the earth’s mantle could cause continents to move. Holmes also suggested that the continents didn’t move but were “carried” by larger pieces of the earth’s crust.