ENCARNACION, KIRSTEN JOY, R.

STEM 1101

CONTINENTAL DRIFT

EARTH SCIENCE
 Content

◦ Continental Drift.
- Facts
- Definition
- Evidence and;
- Diagram
Facts about Continental Drift

ALFRED WEGENER
The first truly detailed and
comprehensive theory of continental
drift was proposed in 1912 by Alfred
Wegener, a German meteorologist.
Bringing together a large mass of
geologic and paleontological data,
Wegener postulated that throughout
most of geologic time there was only one
continent, which he called Pangea.
What is Continental Drift?
Continental drift, large-scale horizontal movements of
continents relative to one another and to the ocean
basins during one or more episodes of geologic time.
This concept was an important precursor to the
development of the theory of plate tectonics, which
incorporates it. 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been replaced by the science of plate tectonics.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 Plate Tectonic?
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that explains
how major landforms are created as a result of
Earth’s subterranean movements. The theory,
which solidified in the 1960s, transformed the
earth sciences by explaining many phenomena,
including mountain building events, volcanoes, and
earthquakes.
◦There are three kinds of Plate Tectonic Boundaries which are;

- DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARY

- CONVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARY
- TRANSFORM PLATE BOUNDARY
Divergent Plate Boundary
◦ A divergent boundary occurs
when two tectonic plates move
away from each other. Along
these boundaries, earthquakes
are common and magma
(molten rock) rises from the
Earth’s mantle to the surface,
solidifying to create new
oceanic crust. The Mid-Atlantic
Ridge is an example of
divergent plate boundaries.
 Convergent Plate Boundary
◦ When two plates come together, it is
known as a convergent boundary. The
impact of the colliding plates can cause
the edges of one or both plates to buckle
up into a mountain ranges or one of the
plates may bend down into a deep
seafloor trench. A chain of volcanoes
often forms parallel to convergent plate
boundaries and powerful earthquakes
are common along these boundaries.
The Pacific Ring of Fire is an example of
a convergent plate boundary.
 Transform Plate Boundary
◦ Two plates sliding past each other
forms a transform plate boundary. One
of the most famous transform plate
boundaries occurs at the San Andreas
fault zone, which extends underwater.
Natural or human-made structures that
cross a transform boundary are offset
— split into pieces and carried in
opposite directions. Rocks that line the
boundary are pulverized as the plates
grind along, creating a linear fault
valley or undersea canyon.
Evidence of Continental Drift

◦The evidence for continental drift included

the fit of the continents; the distribution of
ancient fossils, rocks, and mountain
ranges; and the locations of ancient
climatic zones.
Evidence of Continental Drift
Diagram of Continental Drift