Dynamic Earth Questions
Dynamic Earth Questions
Dynamic Earth Questions
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1. State the Theory of Plate Tectonics.
the Earth's outermost layer is fragmented into a dozen or more large and small plates that are moving relative to one another as they ride atop hotter, more mobile material.
2. What was Pangaea? The Land formation when all the continents were attached to each other How long ago did Pangaea start to break up? 250 million years ago What were Laurasia and Gondwanaland? The two land masses that Alexander Du Toit proposed Pangaea
split up to. Laurasia was the northern hemisphere and Gondwanaland was the south hemisphere
3. What was the theory of continental drift? Continental Drift Theory is the theory that the continents have
must not have been closer to the equator and had moved. fossil ferns (Glossopteris)- were discovered in what is now non polar regions and could have survived the climate so they must have had a climate closer to equator where it was warmer and they could survive.
Evidence of climate change coal deposits in Antarctica, polar dinosaurs in Australia Coal deposits werent realistic for a land with a climate similar to Antarctica where there is hardly and vegetation. The deposits were evidence that there was once a luscious forest there. Polar dinosaurs found in Australia suggest that the climate in Australia didnt have the ability to support Polar dinosaurs What was the major flaw that kept Wegeners theory from being accepted? He could answer which forces could move and divide such large land masses 4. Inside the Earth:
Draw a diagram of the Earth and label the lithosphere asthenosphere mantle inner and outer core 5. What is a tectonic plate? a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally composed of both
earthquakes
9. What are hotspots? Besides the Hawaiian Islands, what are some other hotspots? A volcanic area that forms
as a tectonic plate moves over a point heated from deep within the Earth's mantle. Yellowstone Is an example as well as Iceland hotspot
10. What forces are thought to cause the movement of the tectonic plates, and how do they work? the slow
movement of hot, softened mantle that lies below the rigid plates is one thought to be cause. The mantle acts like a conveyor belt around earth and carries the continents. Explain what convections currents are. the circular motion in a liquid caused by heating and cooling.
What are the sources of heat in the Earths interior? Radioactive decay and residual heat 11. Read about plate tectonics and people. After you have read about the disasters, make sure that you read the section about minerals and ore deposits. Bonus: what went on before the breakup of Pangaea? Pangaea itself may have been formed by the aggregation
of separate continents that drifted back together after the break-up of an older supercontinent that existed about 550 million years ago.
Why is Easter Island significant ? Easter Island is important because we have evidence that links ancient civilizations of easter island to ancient civilizations in near asia