Evidence of Plate

Tectonics
Enumerate the lines of evidence that support plate movement
The theory of plate tectonics and continental drift was
proposed at the beginning of the last century by a German
scientist, Alfred Wegener.
He became the “father of continental drift” by amassing
considerable supporting evidence that the continents moved
over time.

Prior to the 1960’s, most geologists held the view that the
ocean basins and continents had fixed geographic positions
and were of great antiquity. This profound reverse in
scientific thought was described as a scientific revolution.
What is Wegener’s Theory?

Continental drift is a theory that explains how

continents shift position on the earth’s surface. This
was set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a
geophysicist and meteorologist.

The theory further explained why look-alike animal

and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are
found in different continents
The processes involved in the three types of boundaries are
seafloor spreading, ocean continent subduction, earthquake
activity, and volcanic activity.

On the other hand, the possible causes of plate movements are

the continental drift theory, seafloor spreading, plate tectonics,
convection current, ridge push and slab pull.

Furthermore, the line of evidence that supports the movements

of the plates are fossil distribution, coastline matching, crustal
rock age, continental shapes, and earthquake and volcanic
activities.
THE CONTINENTAL DRIFT

 Alfred Wegener was a German meteorologist. In 1912, his theory

proposed that about 200 million years ago, the continents were once
large masses.
 He called this land mass as “Pangea”, a Greek word which means
“All Earth.”
 Afred Wegener’s theory explained how Pangea evolved up to the
present continents today.
 He further claimed that Pangea started to break into smaller
supercontinents called Laurasia and Gondwanaland during the
Jurassic Period.
 These smaller supercontinents broke into the other continents and
these continents separated and drifted apart gradually.
 In the past lesson, you learned that Alfred Wegener
(1880-1930), in 1912, noticed that the continents
COMPARISON
were supposedly compressed into a single called
OF COTINENTS
“Pangea”. Pangea is also called as “all lands” and
these
BY lands, over time, drifted into their current
ALFRED
distribution.
WEGENER
How Fast Do Plates Move?
According to some scientists, a plate moves between 1 to 5
centimeters per year.

Consequences of Plate Movement

When the plates move, they will eventually collide. These collisions
cause earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes. In the case of
earthquakes, they usually happen when two plates slide past each
other. Meanwhile, volcanoes form when one plate sinks under the
other plate allowing lava/magma to seep through and build up to form
a volcano.